cyclical
by samantha-darling
Summary: even the best teams reach their breaking point. it has been years since the ben 10 team went their separate ways. now, they must choose: reunite in the face of danger, or remain divided and lose one of their own.  rated M for future chapters
1. Chapter 1

_ The door was large and imposing, a towering, impressive plank of mahogany. It stood of its own volition in the misty dark. There were no hinges, hardware, or door frames in this place. Just the paths leading to vaulted hallways, which in turn led to their own end. She knew this one by heart. The hallway was bare and grey, but its doorway was magnificent, a hidden gem. The wood grain was a rich brown hue. Its smooth, polished surface gleamed enough to reflect back her own vague outline. The door knob was of the finest silver, carved simply but elegantly, and in that she could indeed see her own face. She almost didn't recognize her wide, frightened eyes as she placed both hands upon the door. It had been a very long time since she had been here, since it had opened for her. Tonight, she had no choice but to try._

_ "It's me. I need your help. Will you let me in?" She asked in a quavering voice. The air was growing colder in the hallway. Quickly, she glanced behind her to where the hallway curved backwards into the abyss. There had been a laugh, she was sure. Turning back to the door, she closed her eyes and spoke again. "Please. Please help me." But there was only silence._

_ "Where's your key?" A cool and oil-slick voice asked in the gloom. She whipped around, keeping her back to the door, and scanned the area carefully. A charcoal smoke was beginning to crawl towards her from the hallway. She sucked in a breath as she realized it was too late. The laugh echoed high up into the ceilings, followed by an icy gust of wind. It momentarily took her breath away and it was all the Hunter needed. Long, iron-like fingers wrapped around her windpipe and squeezed mercilessly. "Have you lost it? Or was it taken from you?" The skeletal face cackled, its exposed teeth grinding together with cruel glee. She shut her eyes and forced her hands up and forward, summoning all the mana she could into her fingertips. The Hunter flew backwards but recovered quickly, barely missing her as she dodged to the side._

_ With one last look at the closed door, she took off running for the hallway, scrambling to her feet as the Hunter attacked from above. The floor shattered into pieces where it landed. Pieces of the tile flew about her as she fled. The Hunter howled in frustration. With one final growl, it spread its claws and slashed at the door, before flying off into the darkness after its quarry. She didn't spare a glance behind her as she ran, cursing herself for even coming there in the first place. Now even here she wasn't safe. It knew she had no one to turn to. It knew that no one was listening._

_ There was only one option left to her and she detested it. Gritting her teeth, she sailed through the opening of the hallway. The Hunter cried out behind her; still, she ran. Now she found herself on a darkened street. It was her own, from when she lived in Bellwood, the entrance to the plethora of hallways and their doors. All she needed to do now was get back to her house and her closet door. The glowing windows of her parents' home gleamed ahead of her. _

_ "I know where you're going. I know everything." It was trying to frighten her, but she wouldn't stop. She wasn't stupid. Sucking in a breath, she threw down a mana shield beneath her bare feet. It lifted her up off the pavement and she was able to ride it much like a surf board over the muggy air. Within a few moments, she was barreling through her front door. The shades of her parents sat on the couch in the living room. They shared martinis in front of the fireplace, smiling ear to ear, oblivious to their panting daughter heaving herself up the stairs. She exploded through the bedroom door, only to fly backwards as the Hunter belted her across the face. Her back hit the banister at the top of the stairs, splintering it. It held on barely enough for her to remain on the balcony. Again, she found herself struggling for breath, even as she fought to stand. The Hunter didn't allow her to get very far. It caught her by the wrists and lifted her up so it was able to stare into her face._

_ "What do you want from me?" She panted. Its head cocked to one side slowly. The motion was halting, its neck creaking and cracking. She sneered in disgust as its head continued to turn until it was almost completely upside down._

_ "Me? I don't want anything from you. I want only the reward from the one who hired me to contain you."_

_ "Contain me?" Something electric spread down her arms from her wrists and she shrieked as the shock hummed through her body. The Hunter abruptly dropped her as its head snapped right side up. She gasped in pain as she surveyed her hands. Smoking marks scorched her skin. Her eyes teared as she smelled her own flesh burning, but even through her blurred vision, she recognized the runes._

_ "I don't know where you'll be when you wake up, but I do know that I will feel sorry for you." The Hunter rasped. Its long claws gripped her by the back of her shirt and it once again lifted her up above the balcony. Below, her parents' laughter drifted upwards. Her father was telling her mother a dirty joke he had heard at work. She heard her mother scold him, reminding him that their daughter was just upstairs doing her homework. _

_ "Who hired you?"_

_ "Its not my place to say." It brought her back inside of her room. She watched helplessly as it opened her closet door. Through the frame, she saw herself sleeping in the bedroom of her apartment. The room was bathed in an unnatural blue glow, emanating from her sweating skin. The rune markings were barely visible on the wrists of her waking body, even though they still remained red and raw on that of her dreaming self. With a careless toss, the Hunter sent her flying through the door and into her fate._

_

* * *

_

The house looked the same on the outside. Brick walls, white shutters, a welcoming porch light. His aunt's begonias were wilting on their stems inside of their wooden planters. The large oak trees sat still like silent sentinels in the yard. Their bushy branches helped to conceal the one window that he had been looking for, a double set in one of the peaks on the roof.

Benjamin Tennyson stood on the sidewalk looking in at his cousin's house, feeling like a stranger. Or really her parent's house. She hadn't lived there for years. The windows to her room were covered with the same curtains that had been there when they were young. He sighed heavily and quickly glanced around at the surrounding neighborhood. All of the windows were still dark. It was too early for any one to be awake. It was why he chose this time to come and conduct his search. The Plumber's badge in his hand suddenly beeped quietly. He pressed a small button on its side.

"Scan negative."

"There's no trace of her mana signature here?"

"That is correct, Officer Tennyson." He looked back up at the house, his features grim. Her apartment had been much the same. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Locate Badge #39568-KEL."

"Badge #39568-KEL located at 40 S. Industry Lane, Bellwood-" Ben pressed the button again to shut off the badge's voice. That was all he needed to hear. As much as he wished to avoid this scenario, he just wasn't sure who else to turn to. Sighing, he turned and headed in the direction of the old hangout, preparing for a fight the entire way.

* * *

All he wanted at that moment was an ice cold beer.

Kevin Levin rubbed his eyes as he plopped himself down on his desk chair, eyeing the monitor screen and the seemingly endless grid of scheduled appointments. Mr. Marshal was due in at 12:30 with a leaky gas tank. An hour or so afterwards, some soccer mom who had just moved into town was bringing in her mini-van for a oil change and a routine check up. The real piece of work would be his last car for the day. A young man had called in the morning to get a time for Kevin to take a look at his 1989 Ford pickup, which had died on the road in a cloud of smoke and fire, and was being towed into the garage. He had warned the kid he wasn't sure it was even worth fixing the truck, but Johnny Rawson insisted he do all he could to save it.

It had been only a couple of years since he had opened up the shop in his garage but since then, business had been booming. His one wish was that he could say the same thing about his other job. Being a Plumber was a much better career than a mechanic, at least in his mind. But ever since Ben Tennyson had left Earth at the end of last year to work with his grandfather, the rush of alien activity they had encountered as kids had dried up completely.

He scoffed as he remembered the last time his badge had beeped. A touring group of aliens had crash landed out in Hawaii and Kevin had been sent to pick them up and arrange for the repair of their ship. No battles, no explosions, no bad guys. He sighed and stood up from the desk, grabbing the keys to his Camaro and his Plumber's badge. Being an interplanetary cop wasn't living up to what he had expected it to be. He checked to make sure he had no messages, then headed out to prepare for the afternoon rush.

Outside the air conditioned office, the summer air had filled the garage. He huffed and pulled off his mechanic's shirt, discarding it on the couch. He had grown over these last years. As a teenager, he had been muscular, but lean. Now that he was entering the early years of his adult life, the workouts had gotten only more rigorous and it showed in the girth of his biceps and the wide slope of his shoulders. It was the only attention he really paid to himself. His hair, though it had always been haphazardly, had been left to its own devices and he had to keep it in a ponytail so it stayed out of his face. He didn't really have to worry about shaving, either. That was both a blessing and a curse.

He scratched at the pathetic dusting of stubble on his chin as he surveyed the mess that was his work station. It would have to be somewhat straightened before old Mr. Marshal showed up. The man was nothing if not organized. He had confided in Kevin once that he respected a person who knew exactly where everything was. Since, Kevin had made sure he could do just that whenever he was around. He knelt and began to pick up the scattered tools from his last job when there was a knock on the side door of the garage. Kevin glanced up at the clock. Too early for his next appointment. He groaned as he ran down the list of people who could possibly come calling, his frown growing at each name.

"Door's open." He shouted, throwing a few wrenches onto the bench. Their clattering masked the squeaking of the door, but not the person's response.

"When are you ever going to oil this door?"

"Tennyson?" Kevin turned, only to come face to face with his old teammate. Ben gave a small smile, shrugging nonchalantly. The twerp had grown in height. He could almost look Kevin in the eye. Almost. He was still thin, though. Kevin, slightly satisfied by that, walked over and reached out his hand. Ben took it readily. "When did you get back on planet?"

"Not too long ago. Maybe a day or so. I figured I'd drop in and see how you were holding up." Ben disengaged his hand, shoving both in the pockets of his jeans, and began to walk himself around the garage. He kicked at the Camaro's tires. Kevin watched him carefully, even as he allowed himself to fall back into the dusty couch at the other end of the room. Ben thankfully had opted to lose the green jacket and converse now that he was an officer. He looked older in his green flannel and white t-shirt, with a simple pair of jeans and understate brown tennishoes. It made it almost hard to remember the loud-mouthed and brazen teenager he worked with.

"Let's just say the car fixing business is going better than the alien cop business. But you knew that already." Kevin's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean? I can't just stop by and say hi?" He paused on the other side of the car and leaned up against it. His green eyes remained glued to the floor, focused on something that wasn't there. Kevin couldn't look at his eyes. They reminded him of someone else's and it bothered him to no end. He threw his right leg up and over his left, picking casually at the bottom of his boot, anything to help steer his mind away from unwanted thoughts.

"Not when you haven't done it for the last year or two."

"I haven't really exactly been in the position to do that." With a slight push, Ben began to pace in front of the Kevin's couch. The small red light on the front of his Plumber's badge shone through the pocket of his green flannel. It was in scan mode.

"So what's the occasion now? Or are you telling me you came all the way back from headquarters just to see me?" Ben sighed. Suddenly, he turned to face Kevin fully, staring the older man directly in the eyes.

"I need your help."

"Don't tell me you're in some sort of trouble." Kevin laughed. Ben shook his head roughly, taking the badge out from his pocket. He looked at it for a moment or so, then back at Kevin. The two stared at each other in silence.

"I'm not the one in trouble. It's Gwen. She's been missing for almost a week now."

* * *

A/N: I have been throwing this idea around for literally a month. This has to be like the tenth rewrite, so I'm just posting it and going from there. I don't know how far I'll get, but you're welcome to come along the ride while its going.


	2. Chapter 2

_"I'm not the one in trouble. It's Gwen. She's been missing for almost a week now."_

_

* * *

_

It hit him so hard and so quickly he almost didn't realize it. Kevin watched Ben blankly as he continued to speak but he didn't quite catch anything he said. Was it possible to feel so much, yet be completely numb? He felt himself sitting on his couch, the rough material scratching against the many callouses on his palms, but his mind was already soaring across the raging plains of his memory. Her perfume, light and intoxicating, drifted across him, just as he swore he felt stray feathers of her flaming hair on his neck and jaw. Reflexively, he reached up and slapped at the sensation.

"What did you say?" Kevin asked quietly. Ben stopped mid-sentence. He frowned perplexedly. His dark eyebrows knitted together as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Gwen is missing." The sound of her name made him inhale sharply. He had to resist the urge to bolt from the room. With a swift movement, he lifted himself off the couch and began to rummage around the tools on his work bench. Behind his calm demeanor, he could not keep his mind from racing. His mouth ran dry. His palms became sweaty. "Kevin, listen-"

"What do you want me to do about it?" Kevin whispered.

"What?" Ben appeared at his side. He still wasn't as tall as Kevin, but he had grown. When Kevin turned, he was nearly looking him in the eye. It took all of his strength to meet Ben's gaze and even more to hold it.

"I'm a Plumber, Tennyson, not a beat cop. Why hasn't mommy and daddy called the police yet?" His tone was even enough, but he knew Ben recognized the venom sizzling beneath it. The younger man tensed visibly. At his sides, Kevin could see his fists clenching.

"They have. You honestly think I'd be here if it was that simple?" Kevin didn't respond. He went back to his tools, looking at each in turn but not really seeing. His eyes, instead, saw random pieces of her as if through a veil. A gentle hand covering his own, rough one. The corner of her mouth when she smiled at a tasteless joke he had just made. The bottom of his stomach dropped as he imagined what could have happened to her. Then his anger, the ever-smoldering flame which had kept him going, came to his rescue. He flung a wrench down on the table and tore his fingers through his hair.

"I don't know."

"Her apartment was locked from the inside. Nothing was gone, broken, or destroyed. Her car keys were left on the table. The car itself was untouched in the parking lot. The only thing missing was her and the clothes she was wearing. Oh, and one more thing." Ben paused and pressed the button on his Plumber's badge. "Badge, repeat the results of the scan of Gwen Tennyson's apartment."

"Scan of Gwendolyn Tennyson's apartment negative for mana signature."

"So she doesn't leave a happy pink glow over all of her shit. What's the point?" But Kevin knew exactly what the point was. Ben knew too. He let his irritation boil over for a moment as he scoffed and pivoted on his heel, walking a few paces away from the bench and crossing his arms over his chest. He kept his back to Kevin and pressed the button on the badge again.

"Scan of Tennyson home negative for mana signature."

"You know what that means. Everything leaves a mana trail, even if its a faint one. The fact that Gwen doesn't have a single trace of any of it in her apartment, in her car, or at her parent's house is too odd not to notice." Ben spat out. "I know that things ended badly between you-"

"You don't know anything, so don't pretend to." Kevin warned flatly. He took a slow breath before walking backwards to fall softly onto the couch. He stared at the ceiling above Ben's head, trying not to notice the wrathful look on his face. "What I want to know is why you came to me. You've got plenty of Plumber friends back at headquarters, not to mention your hero grandfather." At this Ben grew silent. His jaw tightened and he averted his gaze to the cement floor. Kevin's eyebrow quirked at the reaction he got.

"Grandpa is on assignment right now. There's no way to contact him."

"Weren't you supposed to be on assignment with him?" Kevin pressured. Ben glowered.

"Weren't you supposed to be some hot-shot officer, instead of a backwater Plumber playing taxi driver to lost extraterrestrials?" He could have punched the little bastard. For a second, he thought he might. The cords of his muscles strained in his arms as his fists gathered in loose material of his jeans. It would have felt really good, but probably more trouble than it was really worth.

"Yeah, well, at least I'm not on desk duty." He muttered. Ben rolled his eyes, but didn't retort. Instead, he stuffed the badge back into his pocket, and plopped back onto the edge of the Camaro.

"I didn't come here to argue with you. I'll go and look for her myself if I have to. But I was hoping you'd agree to help me, if for nothing more than old time's sake."

"Hate to dash your hopes, Benji, but this is one mission I'm sitting out. Get someone else to help you."

"Why?" Ben pushed. He stood up and glared across the expanse at his former teammate. Kevin closed his eyes. Slowly, he rolled his head back onto the cushiony crest of the couch. He promised himself that he wouldn't get involved with her again, no matter what. This was a tangled web, a heap of trouble. She could do nothing without getting him into some sort of mess. Even now, after all their ties had been severed, after the connection had been lost, she still remained. Kevin rubbed his eyes tiredly, pressing against his lids so hard it hurt. He couldn't begin to imagine what would be worse: Finding her alive and having to watch her walk away again, or finding her dead and having to say goodbye forever.

"Its complicated."

"She's my cousin." Ben implored. He had heard that before. He had heard that when they had first started dating as teenagers, when Ben had been less than pleased with their decision to make it official. He had heard that when Ben caught them making out in the garage. He had heard it still when they had fights and Ben was forced to play mediator. She may have been his cousin, but to Kevin, she was so much more. Or at least she had been. The battle wore on and on inside of his chest as he fought with himself.

Reaching over to a drawer in his workbench, Kevin pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes. Ben gave an annoyed sigh as he drew one from the package and lit it, taking a slow, deep drag.

"I got three more appointments for the day. Come back later."

"Kevin-"

"I said come back later, Tennyson. You want my help? You better goddamn listen."

* * *

At the end of the day, the beer tasted better than it ever had before. The top popped off with a sultry hiss, the cool air trapped inside dancing out of the bottle like a genie. He took the first sip nice and slow, letting the alcohol roll down his throat and into his stomach. Then, he couldn't help himself. The bottle was empty within a matter of minutes and he was left laying on his creeper completely satisfied.

The old broken down Ford was a waste. The kid couldn't pay to fix it and Kevin wasn't about to do it for free. It sat outside in a heap where the tow truck man had left it. At least it was worth something for scrap, he tried to console Johnny. It didn't help much. The boy left in his mother's shiny sedan looking absolutely miserable and wretched. Kevin almost felt for him. Almost.

It was going on eight easily. The sky was beginning to dark around the edges, the blazing yellow of the sun still clinging to the sky and the clouds. There was no sign of Ben and that both concerned and relieved him simultaneously. He was down to his last cigarette, left over from the last pack he had when he decided to quit. If Ben decided to waltz back up the drive and demand Kevin come with him on this little expedition, he'd need a lot more.

Kevin scoffed to himself. The possibilities were endless. How many enemies had they made as kids? How many enemies did her grandfather have? Any one of them, with the right resources and mind frame, could be responsible for her disappearance. She could be anywhere in the galaxy, or even farther than that. Ben knew what a daunting task he was about to undertake, and so he figured he'd drag Kevin along with him. The older man smiled sardonically. Then again...

He shivered slightly as he remembered the cadence of her voice calling his name. Even after everything she'd put him through, the pain, the humiliation, there was a part of him that would still do anything for her. It was this part he was having the most trouble with. It was the one thing his cynicism and his anger couldn't thwart. And it killed him everyday.

"So, did you decide yet?" Someone kicked at his foot. Ben appeared above him, looking tired and impatient. His gaze was hard. "I'm not expecting much, so let's get this over with. I have a job to do."

"I'll help." The words spilled from his mouth before he even knew they had. Ben paused. His eyebrows rose as Kevin got to his feet. He had pulled his hair out of its band awhile ago, and it hung like a black curtain over his face. It helped to hide him from his one moment of vulnerability. Already the whole thing sounded like a bad idea. But it couldn't be helped. Now that he knew something was wrong, sitting around doing nothing would only drive him crazy. Better to get to the bottom of it all so he could maybe move on with his pathetic excuse for a life...maybe.

"You...will?" Ben asked surprised.

"Yeah. But only for old time's sake." Ben opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. He nodded slowly.

"Alright. Where do we start?" Kevin laughed derisively.

"Geez Benji, for being an officer you sure aren't very resourceful. I am glad you got rid of that awful jacket though. Makes you stand out too much." He said smoothly. Ben glanced down at his clothes questioningly.

"What was wrong with that jacket? It was personalized."

"Yeah, so every bad guy knew exactly who you were. Tonight I'm taking you to a place where you're not going to want to be recognized, Mr. Famous." Kevin threw off his mechanic's shirt and swiped some dirt off the black tank top he had on beneath. Grabbing the keys, he motioned towards the Camaro.

"I thought we were going to -"

"You can't find someone when you have no idea what happened to them. Here, put this on and get in the car." He picked up an old, grimy hooded sweatshirt from the creeper. Ben looked at the material with disgust.

"You want me to put that on? You've been using it as a greasy pillow!"

"All the more better reason to wear it."

"Kevin, where are we going?" Ben inquired somberly. He took the sweatshirt gingerly, but didn't budge. Kevin scratched the side of his head casually, shrugged, then made his way to the driver's door of his car.

"The wrong side of the tracks."


	3. Chapter 3

It moved silently over the lawn of the mansion, across the dew-laden blades of grass and the rose bushes, the perfectly manicured shrubs and the in ground fountain with its schools of goldfish and koi. The quiet midnight breezes that had frolicked through the trees disappeared beneath leaves and branches as the visitor passed, quaking from its hiding place. Fireflies dancing amongst the greenery suddenly dropped, their lights dimming before going dark completely. It seemingly did not notice how its presence affected the lawn; it glided directly to the elegant terrace, up the rounded steps, and directly through the closed french doors.

It stopped just inside, surveying the room slowly. There was a massive hearth at the opposite end of the room with a fire burning so low it was nearly extinguishing it. The logs were nothing but piles of glowing embers. Two matching high-backed chairs framed the fireplace, a pedestal end table with carved wooden features set directly between them. There was tall champagne flute from the bar situated to one side on its surface, half full of the sparkling liquid. It watched with disinterested eyes as a hand reached out to grasp the flute by its stem and lifted it out of view.

"You're late." He said lightly. "I usually do not tolerate such rudeness."

"Forgive me, sir. There was business to attend to."

"Of course. Please, come closer." It floated closer to the hearth, the embers growing colder and colder until finally the died in a puff of blue smoke. The man sitting in one of the chairs said nothing and paid no heed. He finished the champagne with a single swig and set the flute back down as if they were not suddenly swathed in an inky darkness. "I trust all went according to plan?"

"It could not have gone better, sir. The girl was subdued and moved to our secure location quicker than we had anticipated." It hissed happily. Its eyes flared a murderous red inside of its skeletal face at the memory of her fear and desperation. The man smiled widely at his employee's cruel glee. He gracefully stood from his seat, adjusting the collar of his blazer as he stepped forward onto the plush persian rug. Even in the dark, it could see the man's every move, down to the slight twitch at the apex of his left eyebrow. It watched him closely as he strode to the mantel of the hearth to retrieve a box.

"That's excellent news. I'm quite pleased with the work you've done thus far. If you continue to impress, it will reflect in your final payment."

"Thank you, sir. I aim to please." The man pulled a thick cigar from the box but did not light it. For a minute he simply smelled it, running the length of it beneath his nose. He closed his eyes at the aroma, then stuffed it in his front pocket.

"That being said, I heard a rather interesting transmission today." It titled its head, the creaking loud pops in the silent, large room. The sharp noises echoed up into the tiled ceiling. The man paid no attention. He began to pace slowly before the cold hearth. "It seems that Benjamin Tennyson has gone AWOL from Plumber Headquarters."

"Well, I-"

"I thought I made myself perfectly clear that he was exactly the kind of attention we did not want to attract." The man's once refined voice turned hard. Without any warning, he swung out an arm and sent a ceramic vase on the mantel flying. It crashed somewhere between them, pieces rolling across the rug, some skittering onto the hardwood floor. It did not flinch or move at the man's outburst but eyed him cautiously as he moved across the space, stepping and crunching the remnants of the vase as he came closer until they were face to face. "Now he's sniffing around after our tracks, it will only be a matter of time before he gets others involved."

"May I speak frankly, sir?" It asked gutturally. The man sneered but nodded, turning away dismissively.

"You may."

"It would have only been a matter of time before Officer Tennyson became aware of her disappearance. Earth law enforcement officers were searching the premises only a few days after we removed her. By accomplishing the first phases of your agenda with haste, however, I have given you quite the advantage."

"Oh?" The man asked. It ground its teeth together at his employer's cynical tone.

"Yes. Besides the area being completely cleaned for searches and scans, any sort of trail has been left cold for days. Even with all the technology the Plumbers have at their disposal, Officer Tennyson will find it difficult if not nearly impossible to investigate the matter." It rubbed its claws together slowly, obviously pleased with its explanation of the situation. It waited for the man to turn and acknowledge his words. He didn't. He stood silent a short distance away, hands held behind his back, pushing his weight forward onto the balls of his feet. It appraised the man's posture for a minute or so, trying to discern whether or not he believed anything it said. Finally, after a few more agonizing moments of silence, the man threw up a hand.

"Very well. I will contact you when I have need of you again. In the meantime, may I suggest you keep watch for Tennyson and anyone he might recruit? I would hate for them to throw a wrench in our metaphorical machine."

"As you wish, sir." It turned to leave when a hand shot out from the darkness and caught him about the throat. It felt nothing but the pressure of his fingers for a second. Then, it turned into a horrid sucking feeling. It cried out in surprise as the man held onto him tightly, pulling it close.

"I know they call you The Hunter, but if the threads of this plot should begin to fray, I promise you that I will personally stuff and mount you above my fireplace. Do we have an understanding?" The man released it violently, pushing it so hard it flew out the doors. It landed close to the roots of a large oak tree, shaking and clutching its neck. Through the glass it could see the man working to relight the fire.

"Oh, we have an understanding, sir." It growled between its teeth. "Soon enough, however, you will realize just how little you know of it..."

* * *

Ben eyed the bar warily from beneath the protection of his smelly hood. It was the epitome of a seedy establishment if he had ever seen one. The building it was situated in was mostly falling apart, with massive cracks that began in its foundation and ended somewhere near its roof. There wasn't a single intact window pane that he could see. The remnants of the shattered glass remained in piles on the uneven sidewalk. Trash cans and garbage spilled from the small, dark alley behind it. Papers, wrappers, and anything else the wind could pick up rolled like man-made tumbleweeds past its large, plank door and blinking neon signs. A painted sign advertised the bar's entrance. Even from his post in the passenger seat of the Camaro, he could see much of the paint was chipping or missing, so 'The Cellar Door' looked more like 'Th Cear Dor'.

'Of course it would be Kevin's favorite Friday night hang out spot.' Ben thought wryly. The older man had gone in nearly ten minutes ago, casting wary glances behind him all the way to the door. He disappeared inside after one more look at his car and his former partner inside of it. His behavior had made Ben all the more anxious. Since Kevin had gone, he couldn't stop checking the mirrors to make sure no one was creeping up on the other side of the car. He locked it and shoved the keys in the wide, front pocket of the sweatshirt, then sunk deeper into the seat.

Even after all this time, it felt awkward to be the one up front. He was so resigned to sitting in the backseat that when Kevin opened the door for him to get in, he almost pushed the seat forward and crawled behind it. He huffed a bit under his breath as his cheeks reddened at the silly feeling churning in his stomach. It was her seat. The both of them still considered it so. It was the reason Kevin had been so quiet the entire car ride. Ben began to chew on a stray fingernail even as he chewed upon his stormy thoughts.

They had broke up just before Gwen left for college. The specifics of the whole ordeal had been kept mostly between the two of them, though Ben easily guessed it wasn't a pleasant affair. Neither would talk about the other. When one came up in passing conversation, the other would become moody and snippy. There were quiet wars waged on belongings and gifts they had gotten for each other, usually ending with said object in the trash. It got to the point where he actively avoided talking to both of them when he made visits home. This, seemingly, had no effect on Kevin, but Gwen's parents via his parents let him know how unhappy his purposeful lack of contact made her. He felt bad, sort of, until he remembered that he had been playing mediator between the pair for the better part of five or six years. His only hope was that somehow they would grow out of it and they could all be friends again. He thought it might be starting when he found out about Gwen's new boyfriend, but then...

There was a sharp knock on his window and Ben jumped so high he hit his head on the roof of the car. Sputtering out swear words, he rolled down the window to allow Kevin's stifled chortling inside.

"What the hell?" Ben growled. Kevin snorted quietly.

"Oh that was priceless. What were you doing, sleeping?"

"No, I was- Never mind. What's going on?"

"Look who I found?" Kevin smirked and motioned down towards his feet. Ben sat up and peered over the edge of window. Quaking on the pavement was a small trench coat with ears. He narrowed his eyes as the coat moved. A pair of round yellow eyes appeared from out of the dark. Ben returned Kevin's smirk instantly.

"Argit."

* * *

A/N: Short? Yes. Probably not the best? Yes. Necessary evil? Maybe. Either way, I felt like it was a good place to end it and I really just wanted to get something, _anything_, posted before the weekend so I could maybe write another chapter and possibly another entry into Little Lessons. I'm waiting for new episodes to start to get my rear (and others) in gear. As always, enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

The rat made a vain attempt to escape Kevin's clutches, scrabbling against the road, claws trying to find purchase. He didn't get very far. After a minute or two of flailing, he finally gave up.

"I don't know anything" Argit choked. Kevin laughed out loud.

"You always know something, buddy." He lifted Argit up off the ground so that he was now face to face with Ben inside the car.

"I don't! I swear!" He protested. Ben, throwing his hood back, leaned over the edge of the window and smiled.

"Don't be so modest. You're a wealth of information. Now, why are we here?" The rat looked back and forth between the two of them helplessly. He sighed and hung his head.

"The hot redhead you two used to run with is missing."

"Good. That's a start." Kevin said approvingly. He shook Argit a little in mid-air. "What do you know about it?"

"Nothing. Its just a rumor."

"Try again." Ben stated flatly. The rat shot a nasty glare at him.

"I'm telling the truth. Its nothing but juicy gossip the scummy guys are passing over beers."

"There's got to be more than that." Kevin leaned in threateningly close. "Don't make me beat it out of you." Argit cringed at the warning, curling up into himself and whimpering in the back of his throat. He looked so incredibly pathetic that Ben couldn't help but feel bad for him. He opened his mouth but Kevin shook his head, holding a hand up and signaling for him to be quiet. Finally Argit resurfaced, his eyes shut tight.

"Alright, alright. There was this guy the other night. I didn't see him because I was hiding under the bar. He mentioned something about Gwen Tennyson." He said quietly.

"What about her?" Ben asked. He cast a wary glance at Kevin, who was biting his bottom lip rather hard. His dark eyes were focused entirely on the rat in his clutches. When Argit was slow to respond, he cleared his throat meaningfully.

"It was after the whole story had broke. Everyone knew she was missing. He was bragging about being hired to sweep her apartment."

"Sweep the apartment?" Ben paused. "He must have been the one who erased her mana signatures!" He concluded excitedly. He leaned back slightly into the car as he began to think of a way they could stake the bar out until the jerk resurfaced. He was so caught up in the idea of catching and pulverizing the creep into talking he almost didn't notice that Kevin was talking to him.

"I don't think so, Tennyson. Cleaners don't normally kiss and tell. Being secretive is part of their job This was probably just some asshole who wanted to sound cooler than he was."

"Unless he wasn't very good at his job..."Argit offered. Ben, suddenly deflated, fell back into his seat completely. For a brief moment, he really thought they had something concrete. Now they were back to square one. And a small square at that.

"No, Kevin has a point. Its probably nothing."

"Who knows? You hear all sorts of stories at the bar. Um, can I be put down now?" The rat inquired. Kevin nodded and set him back on his feet, but didn't release him.

"We're not done yet. I'm not taking this guy seriously, but I want you to keep an ear open for him. He shows up again, you call me. Got it?"

"Got it. Can I go?"

"Sure. And here. This ought to pay for your night." Ben watched as Kevin slipped Argit a crisp twenty dollar bill. The rat took it and stuffed it inside of his coat, then wordlessly scampered back to the bar. He cast a dark glare towards the two of them as he went inside. Ben exhaled slowly and sunk back into the seat. Kevin rounded the front of the car quickly and got behind the wheel. He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"That was nice."

"What?"

"What you did. Giving him money. That was nice." Ben elaborated. Kevin shrugged and reached for the keys, shoving his open palm towards Ben when he realized they weren't in the ignition.

"Yeah, well, he's only gotten more pitiable through the years. You still got to rough him up a bit to get anywhere with him, but it makes you feel horrible afterwards." He took the keys and started the car, the engine roaring to life.

"I guess this goes without saying, but you've changed." Ben observed. Kevin just shrugged.

"Doesn't everybody?" Ben didn't respond. He turned to stare out the window, watching carelessly at the night time scenery flew by. His thoughts melded together much like the endless buildings and trees. Kevin's words repeated themselves over and over. As he let his eyes close of their own volition, he thought about how they were entirely true. He wasn't the same bright eyed boy who'd left Earth nearly three years ago to chase his destiny across the stars. Being a Plumber full time wasn't all that he'd expected. The glamorous attention that followed him while he was a teenager was nowhere to be found now. There were no beautiful actresses, news stories, or action figures after a job well done. Praise, yes, but nothing like what he was used to. It was a good lesson for him to learn, albeit a hard one. Apparently, he still needed to work on his impulsiveness. Ben chuckled to himself as he remembered Gwen telling him that after their last visit.

He opened his eyes as his mind conjured up an image of Gwen in her apartment, sitting across from him at her small pedestal table, coffee mug in one hand and her other pointing at him purposefully. She hadn't changed a bit, he thought with a frown. She was still the same responsible, smart, kind, caring girl she had been when they were younger. Her grades in college were impeccable. Her involvement in the campus and local community was astounding. She was getting ready to start an internship at a well known law office in the big city, while still working at the college library. And she was still lecturing him about his behavior, advising him on what to do and what not do. He realized suddenly how much he missed her guidance.

"What do we do now?" He asked softly, not realizing he voiced his question aloud.

"I'm going home and getting some sleep." Kevin mumbled. "You should think about doing the same."

"I don't think I'll be able to..." Ben whispered, turning his eyes back to the window.

* * *

_The apartment was dark and dreary. The sky outside of the window was an dull grey. It was one of those days where everyone assumed it was only a matter of time before it rained. Outside on the street she imagined people rushing around under umbrellas and ponchos, eyeing the clouds above warily. She sat at her small dining table, staring down at the patterns in the caramel colored wood grain with such a sense of apathy it surprised her. Slowly, her fingers dragged a circular pattern on the glossy surface, each nail clicking down one after another. Even that simple action seemed to drain her of her energy. It had been awhile since she felt so tired, so listless. She let her eyelids drift shut and allowed herself to simply exist for the moment. An itch interrupted her meditation. She moved to scratch the offending patch of skin on her wrist, only to feel a horrible gash just below her palm._

Gwen's eyes shot open and she gasped as she saw the glowing blue runes embedded in her skin. Images of long claws and hollowed sockets glowing red hit her like a spray of cold water. She scrambled to her feet and turned around, ready to bolt for the door-

_The dishes needed to be done badly. She sighed as she stood in front of the sink looking down at the mass of dirty glasses and plates. When did she use all of these? She couldn't remember. One by one, she picked each delicate piece of dinnerware out of basin and placed it on the simple white countertops. It would probably take her all night to do these. She tried to convince herself that it wasn't a big deal, even as she moved to grab her smelly, yellow rubber gloves. It was such a gloomy day __outside and she couldn't bring herself to even get dressed, let alone go out. She had pulled on one __glove when something blue and blazing caught her eye._

Gwen cried out when she saw the runes on her uncovered wrist. Dried blood crusted around the edges of the cuts, obscuring where flesh met magic. Again she came to the realization of what was happening to her with the same violent chill. She turned from the sink, running for the door-

_She couldn't bring herself to get out of bed. The fleece sheets were so warm and comfortable compared to the suddenly very cold air in her bedroom. Her head sank comfortably into her pillows, and as she turned her face into them, she couldn't help but smile as the warm, vanilla scent of home filled her nose. The strange thing was she didn't quite remember coming home for a visit, but that didn't matter. Below her she swore she could hear the sounds of her mother in the kitchen. Her imagination conjured up images of a warm bowl of steaming soup waiting for her on the table. She'd have to get out of bed to get it though. Unwilling to confront the dilemma, she dove back under her covers and closed her eyes, blissfully unaware this time of the marks on her body._

_

* * *

_

It leaned backwards from over the prone form of its captive, the bones of its head and neck creaking as they stretched and relaxed. Its claws, through for now with haunting the girl's dreams, slid smoothly away from her head, where they had formed almost a cage. It inhaled deeply. Every fiber of its being was weak, spent. Containing the girl had been easy. Keeping her suspended was proving much more difficult. It cast its tired gaze over to the opposite side of the dungeon-like room at the other occupant. The large covered form moved slightly as the man beneath it breathed. Thankfully he was more cooperative. It had only had to recast the runes once since it had first bound him. It didn't want to imagine what it would be like if both of his charges needed constant tending.

The girl twitched slightly on the table she laid upon and it instinctively jumped forward, prepared to send her back into oblivion should she wake. After a few seconds of stillness, it cackled.

"It isn't time for you to awaken, princess." The girl's eyebrows furrowed in response to its taunt. It eye sockets turned red for a moment before winking out. A singular claw reached out to touch the girl's face, trailing down her temple to the apex of her chin. A small red line formed in its wake, extending the entire length of her face. She flinched again and her jaw tightened in a silent protest.

"Fight all you like, but I won't allow it. You will open those beautiful eyes again when I want you to."

"Skullface." It whipped around suddenly, the red glow returning to its eyes as the door to the room opened, allowing the yellow of the old fluorescent light in the hallway to spill inside. A small cloaked figure appeared in the crack. It shuddered slightly as it rose to its full height, looming over the quaking pile of rags like a predator ready to jump. It sniffed the air slightly. The cloak smelled of garbage and booze.

"Ah, yes. Precisely on time I should say. I trust you were shown here by my assistant?" The figure whimpered a bit as it allowed its claws to curl ever so slightly around its hood.

"Y-yes..."

"Wonderful. Come, let me escort you to the front room." The claws tightened around the figure's head and they squealed pathetically as the Hunter held them out in front of its body, shutting the heavy door of the dungeon behind it and gliding down the hallway. The way the figure shook in its grasp delighted it. Already it felt more rejuvenated than before. Perhaps it would be a wise decision to keep this pitiful creature as a house pet. Soon enough they arrived at the rotted out front room, a mass pile of broken boards and forgotten furniture. The hide out used to be a train depot, but it had been forgotten with old age and half-buried in a mud slide years earlier. Now, its employer and its assistant were the only ones besides itself who knew of its whereabouts. That and its little informant. It carelessly dropped the cloak and its inhabitant to the ground, where it scurried to hide behind a moth-eaten recliner.

"Forget your fear, little rat, and tell me what I want to hear." It took a moment for him to come out from his hiding spot, but Argit knew he couldn't stay there forever. His knees knocked together as he walked out in front of the Hunter, or Skullface, as it was known on the streets. He looked up at the Ectonurite unable to keep the fear from entering into his voice.

"They found me."

"Oh?"

"Tennyson and Kevin Levin." Skullface paused as it tried to place where it had heard of the latter name. His employer had mentioned him as one to look out for, though they hadn't told it why.

"I know of Benjamin Tennyson. The wielder of the Omnitrix has a history with my kind. But this Kevin Levin-"

"H-he's a Plumber too. The only one assigned to Earth. He used to bang Gwe-"

"Do not speak her name. I've just managed to quiet her down for awhile. But that is neither here nor there. What did they want?"

"They w-wanted to know what I knew a-about her. I told them w-what you wanted me to t-tell them." Argit said excitedly. He smiled carefully as he continued. "They wanted me to keep a l-lookout for the guy and call them when I saw him." Skullface's teeth ground together in a show of glee. The plan was going precisely as it was supposed to. Oh, the reward would be good indeed. It wrapped its lower body around the rat loosely, lifting him up so they were now eye to eye.

"You are doing very well, my little rat. You will contact them when I say. After that, you will be free to go on your way, with the money I promised you."

"What are we waiting for?" Skullface laughed low in its throat at the sudden eagerness in Argit's voice. It squeezed ever so slightly to remind him who was in charge.

"Call too soon and they will suspect. Call too late and they will have already moved on. Call at the right time and they will walk into the trap none the wiser. Now, do as I say. Run home and wait." Argit didn't need to be told twice. The minute he was released he scampered out the half-broken door and into the night, becoming a whisper through the myriad of weeds and burrs stretching out between the crumbling hideout and the distant city lights. It watched until he disappeared, then turned to its assistant. They remained half hidden in the inky shadows, with only the glossy gleam of the moonlight catching the tips of their shoes to give away their presence.

"Is she awake again?" Skullface groaned.

"No. She sleeps still. I placed the restraints on her regardless." The assistant reported.

"Good. What of our second guest?"

"He remains asleep as well. What would you have me do next?"

"Nothing for now. I will rest for a short time and then check in on them again. Take care of what you need to." With those few words, the assistant vanished and it was left alone in the dark. The small spark of life that had filled it was slowly burning out. Soon it would need to find time to feed. But there was time. The girl would remain sleeping for awhile, or at least it hoped. It glided back to the dungeon and peered inside. Inside, she laid motionless on the table top. Every so often a finger would jump or a muscle would twitch, but it was nothing to be concerned about. It eyed the man beside her. He was even more still than she.

"Dream, children, dream. For soon, the nightmare will begin."


	5. Chapter 5

It was late by the time Kevin pulled back inside his garage. He felt the hours in the soreness of his muscles and the heaviness of his eyes. As he shifted the Camaro into park, he shook his head in absolute disgust. Wasn't he a little young to feel so tired? He was a strapping man of nearly twenty three. Coming home after one in the morning was supposed to be part of his daily routine. With a flick of his wrist, he shut off the car and pulled the ring of keys from the ignition, stepping out and up from the muscle car with the fluidity of someone who had been doing it practically all their life. He slammed it shut behind him, even as he pulled his last cigarette from the pocket of his jeans. Kevin lit it and took a deep drag, letting the smoke languish in his lungs as he flipped the garage door switch. Its monotonous and loud humming followed him to the opposite side of the garage where a singular door led to the upstairs, adjoining apartment.

The stairs seemed obscenely long tonight. He cursed as he tripped in the dim light, dropping his cigarette once. He tried to catch it, only to burn himself, but retrieved it off the stained carpeting before it could even singe the fibers. The rest of the way to the door he inspected the red mark on his palm with a cynical snort. There were worse ways to end the night, he tried to console himself. Ben could have wanted to spend the night in order to get a jump start in the morning. Kevin had actually prepared a plethora of reasons why the younger man should return to his own home for the night, but thankfully had not had to voice any of them. Ben had commanded quietly that Kevin drop him off at his parents' house and told him he would call in the morning.

Meanwhile, Kevin was left to wonder what he was going to do about all of the people who had scheduled appointments for the upcoming weeks. He wasn't hurting for money at the moment, but the idea of turning away so much business made him sour. It wasn't all about the cash. It was also about his reputation. He had worked hard to build up a name for himself in town. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and silently lamented his desire for Plumber work. Now that it had fallen into his lap, he'd rather it hadn't.

Kevin stopped just short of the door knob, teetering slightly on the landing as he contemplated exactly what he was doing. He remembered the girl who was missing, how she had been missing from his life for years, and of her own will. When they were kids, she had him wrapped so tightly around her little finger he was surprised that there had been anything left of him. He would have done anything for her. He would have died for her and never asked why. And now, she was nothing more than some ill-timed assignment. For a moment, it seemed ludicrous that he should feel that way after all they had been through. And then, as if a light had turned on in his mind, he saw her as he had the day she walked out of his life forever and couldn't help but question if, the tables had been turned and he was the one who had mysteriously vanished, she would be so willing to jump back into a life and role she hated?

He entered the apartment quietly, hoping not to awaken his mother, who would no doubt be in bed. The deadbolt clicked loudly in the dark and Kevin resisted the urge to hush it. He turned, toeing off his shoes into the pile, when he noticed the kitchen light spilling out from around the corner. He walked out of the mud room, a frown pulling at his features, and reached out for the light switch situated just beneath the top cabinet. His mother had stopped leaving lights on for him years ago. Just as he wondered what would restart her behavior, he caught sight of her sitting with her back to him at the dining table.

He had always thought of his mother as a demure woman, but as he grew, he realized just how deceptive her looks were. She was small of stature and thin, but not to the point of worry. Her face was heart shaped, her eyes wide-set and large, rich hazelnuts beneath sparse lashes and thin eyebrows. Kevin, when he could bear to look at their family photos again, could see her in his own face. While he had certainly inherited his father's strong jaw and muscular physique, he knew without a doubt that his eyes and the slight hook of his nose were gifts from her. Apparently, his coarse and stubborn attitude were also attributes he could thank her for. They had clashed more than once since moving back in with each other and Kevin learned just how strong a force his mother could be.

She shifted in her chair, crossing one leg over the other, and turning her head ever so slightly, she motioned for him to come in and have a seat.

"Ma, you should be sleeping. You have to work in the morning." He admonished softly. Kevin came around the other side of the table and pulled up the other chair. The dark circles under her eyes worried him but she waved away his concern wordlessly. Reaching out, she plucked the cigarette from his mouth and put it between her own lips.

"I thought I told you to quit these."

"Yeah, like seven years ago."

"You haven't been out this late for awhile. Want to tell me what's going on?" She blew a thin stream of smoke up into the air above their heads. Out of the corner of his eye, Kevin watched the furling curls disappear. He leaned back into the wooden chair, running his fingers down the length of his long upper thighs. "I saw the Tennyson boy earlier."

"Ben stopped in. He's in town, figured he'd say hello."

"Kevin, you're a terrible liar." The statement held no malice, but there was a familiar glint in her dark eyes that he knew all too well. He squirmed uncomfortably in front of her, feeling like a kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"He wanted me to help him out with something. Plumber stuff. What does it matter?" She didn't respond immediately. Taking another puff of the cigarette, she let her eyes lose their focus as she stared off at the kitchen wall. After a moment, she came back to the table, shaking her head slightly and pursing her small, thin lips.

"That girl is missing. His cousin, Max's granddaughter."

"How did you know?"

"Everybody knows. Or at least everybody who pays attention. You've been elbows-deep in car parts for the better part of the month." She pointed out. Kevin leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.

"So you've known and you didn't tell me?" He asked incredulously. His mother shrugged dismissively at first. When Kevin didn't seem to accept her answer, she threw her arms up in exasperation.

"You don't want to get mixed up with her again."

"I'm not mixing up with anyone. I told Ben I'd help him. That's it. Once we find her, I'm done." Kevin said forcefully. He stood up, no longer able to simply sit, and strode into the kitchen.

"Kevin, look at me. Kevin...Kevin!" She stood up quickly, throwing the still smoking cigarette onto the linoleum with such force that the burning ash separated from the paper. The little ember bounced and rolled a few inches away. She ignored its dying form as she walked over to her son, placing her ropy hands on his wide shoulders, and looking earnestly up into his stormy face.

"I can't believe you didn't say anything..."

"Listen to me. Just listen for a moment, okay? You wanted to be a Plumber. I let it happen, even after all I went through with your father. Then you met this girl. I kept my mouth shut because you were happy, but I almost lost you again when she decided you weren't good enough anymore. I'm not going to sit here and watch you do that to yourself again." She ended firmly. Kevin felt his jaw clench involuntarily. He wasn't angry with what his mother had voiced. However, there was no denying her words had hit a spot inside of him that was still sore. He calmed himself before looking down at her, reaching up to remove her hands.

"Ma, this isn't a some sort of catch up dinner. Something bad has happened to Gwen, and..." He paused while trying to find the right words, "And I owe it to Ben for all he's done for me to help him find her." His mother raised an eyebrow in disbelief. She didn't argue, though, instead choosing to give him one last pointed look before turning away. She padded over to where she had thrown the cigarette, scooped the filter and the ember off the linoleum in a few swipes, then headed for the hallway leading to their bedrooms.

"Just remember that when you find her." He watched her figure meld into the dark shadows, waiting until she had shut the door of her bedroom behind her, before finally allowing his body to relax. Visibly deflating, Kevin resisted the urge to take a beer with him into his room. Instead, he stole a twinkie from the cupboard and flipped the light off. He navigated the darkness with ease, slipping through his door quickly and quietly.

His mother's words continued to plague him, following him into his large closet where he stripped off his dirty clothes. He ran his hands over the back of his neck trying to wipe them and the grime away, to no avail. There was the most uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he yanked his old lounge pants out of a pile of discarded fabric. He almost didn't want to fall asleep. Who knew what the morning would hold? After all, when he awoke almost 24 hours ago, he couldn't have dreamed he would end his day doing detective work with Ben Tennyson, or that Gwen, who he had always imagined flitting around campus in a tight sweater vest and wire rims, was no longer walking any place they knew of.

Finally, Kevin couldn't stand thinking about any of it anymore. He threw the twinkie onto his nightstand and landed spread-eagle on his mattress. Before he could even try to cover himself with his messy sheets, he was asleep on his pillow.

It seemed like only a moment later that he opened his eyes. He blinked groggily a few times, trying to remember where the time went, when he suddenly felt something cold and hard beneath his face. Muscles springing into action, he pushed himself up onto his knees, looking around with wide eyes as he realized dumbly that he wasn't in his room anymore.

* * *

The hallway had been beautiful once, cultivated and enriched by their relationship and love for one another. Now that they had fallen apart, it had done the same. Gigantic chunks of the ceiling were missing, littered around on the tile floor like haphazardly flung boulders. Every so often, smaller pieces tumbled to their doom, clattering against the ceramic. One of the pillars had fallen from it pedestal. It lay propped into a corner, a sad and forgotten monolithic corpse. Kevin pulled his hair back in shock as he stood and turned to view the room in full. That's when he spotted the door.

It was his, he was sure of it, though the memories he had were hazy at best. It loomed over him in the dank gloom but he wasn't frightened. He reached out with a single finger and touched the silver doorknob, surprised at its coldness. Then, he raised his eyes to the higher expanse, shivering when he saw four long gashes into the wood. Squinting, he stretched to touch one when a sharp, cold wind hit him in the back and someone whispered his name.

"Gwen?" He spun around expecting to see her, his heart pounding in his chest. There was no one there. He took a step or two forward, calling her name again. A strange desire overcame him as he searched behind the pillars and the darkened corners of the room. The more he thought about it, the more he knew it was her voice. He could never forget the way she said his name. Never. When he found nothing, his actions became frantic. She was here somewhere. He had to find her. Suddenly, nothing else mattered but seeing her again, knowing she was alive.

Again, he heard his name in that breathy voice. This time there was no doubt it came from the darkened end of the hallway. Without thinking, he barreled towards the exit. He was just about to cross the threshold when something caught him in his midsection. It knocked into him so hard his vision went dark. He felt himself flying backwards, waiting to feel the cold wall against his back, when he heard the knob of his doorway click and he flew through the open frame.

The next instant, he was in his bed, a familiar ache seeping into his ribcage even as he struggled to free himself from his sweating sheets. A searing pain gripped him and he glanced down to see an ugly blue and purple mark forming just above his belly button. Rolling over onto his back, he experimentally pressed down upon it, only to hiss at the blooming wave of agony that spread out from its epicenter. Throwing his hands over his face, he tried to catch his breath and figure out how he could have forgotten about the hallway and its end.

* * *

_"Please tell me this isn't all we're doing tonight." The sweet, sharp scent of her perfume hit him immediately, even over the pungent odor of the engine he was working on. A smile tugged on the __corners of his mouth when, a moment later, her arms slipped around his neck and the smooth side of her face rubbed against his own. He eyed the engine critically, grabbing a nearby rag to wipe away much of the thick grease on his fingers._

_ "What? Rebuilding an old muscle car engine not fun enough for ya?" He quipped. She sighed dramatically and reached up to gently tousle his hair._

_ "No, its what I've always imagined doing on my Saturday nights. Honestly though, we are doing something else or I'm going home." She threatened gently. Kevin laughed out loud. He stood up, removing her arms from his frame, and threw the rag into a small bin beside his work bench._

_ "Alright. What did my girl have in mind? A movie?" Gwen scrunched her nose in thought. She clasped her hands behind her back, pulling the fabric of her loose shirt dress across her narrow frame. _

_ "Its a little late now. We wouldn't make it to any of them." _

_ "I suppose. Maybe the Mr. Smoothie?" He didn't have to wait for a response. She shot him a rather expressive glare. He chuckled warily and held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, bad suggestion. Let's see. I've got my mom's rental card. We could go and rent some movies, make some popcorn, and just, uh, hang out in my room." He waggled his eyebrows at her. She snorted, but the dismissive noise wasn't enough to diminish the blush that had bloomed upon her cheeks. Kevin smirked and walked over to kiss her forehead, then her lips. She lingered against his mouth for a second or so before pulling away._

_ "Actually, I did have something I wanted to try." His heart missed a beat for a moment and he coughed in response to the sudden thudding in his chest. She looked at him quizzically as he sputtered for a moment or so. "What?"_

_ "Nothing, nothing! I mean, what...what was it?" Gwen remained perplexed until she caught sight of his flushed face. Then, as if something clicked, she backed away from him, shaking her head quickly._

_ "No! Nothing like that!"_

_ "Oh. I, uh..." He turned away from her feeling embarrassed. Trying to recover, Kevin began to clean up around the engine sitting on its stand. "I knew that. Continue." Gwen smiled slightly. She walked over to the couch and sat down, pulling the hem of her dress beneath her as she lowered herself onto the cushion. Elegantly, she threw her left leg over the other, and leaned into the back of the couch. She didn't speak, instead choosing to pick at the clear polish on her well-kept nails. After a few minutes of silence, Kevin turned to see what was keeping her. Her green eyes were watching him carefully._

_ "I've had a little bit of spare time these last couple of weeks, so I've been spending it trying to learn a little more about myself."_

_ "Okay." He motioned for her to go on. She bit her lip and dropped her gaze back to her nails._

_ "There isn't a lot of literature available on Anodites, but I've got a lot of magic and spell books. I've been going down the list seeing which ones I can accomplish without reciting the incantations and what not. There's this one I've wanted to try but I need a bit of help." _

_ "You're not going to turn me into a frog or a newt or anything like that, are you?" Kevin asked. Gwen laughed, a sound that always made him feel better, and uncrossed her legs before sitting forward on the couch._

_ "No, no. No transformation spells. It's actually a pretty simple idea. Come here and sit."_

_ "But I'm all dirty." He protested, but Gwen was taking no prisoners. Reaching out a hand, a glowing pink sphere encompassed her fingers and shot out a thin line towards his wrist. The pink mana wrapped around his arm and began to tug him towards her. It felt warm against his skin, but intangible, like a sudden, specific gust of summer wind. He allowed himself to be dragged over and he plopped down beside her without any complaint. "I'm here. What are you gonna do to me?"_

_ "Technically, nothing. The only thing I'll be touching is your mind."_

_ "My mind? You're going to touch my mind?" Kevin asked incredulously. She rolled her eyes flippantly, scooting closer so she could place her hands on either side of his head. He eyed them warily as her eyes began to glow pink._

_ "Yes. See, the spell I found is able to form a Connection between two minds, to enable instant communication no matter what. Its a complicated incantation, requiring a lot of different items and ingredients, but I think I've figured out a simpler way. From my reading, the Connection seems to be an intersection of mana flow and-"_

_ "And since you can manipulate mana, you think you can make it without all the magic mumbo jumbo." He finished for her. Gwen smiled widely._

_ "Precisely. Now, just relax and close your eyes. This might be a bit uncomfortable at first, but only because you're not used to having your mind probed."_

_ "Why couldn't we have just gone to my room?" He sighed, but obeyed and closed his eyes. Almost instantly, he felt a strange squeezing sensation in his temples, as if he was in an airplane that had just taken off. She was right; it was uncomfortable. As the seconds went by, the squeezing increased until he wasn't sure he could take it anymore. Then, without warning, the darkness behind his lids exploded into a white light and he cried out when he suddenly felt himself drop onto a cold, hard floor. "Gwen? Gwen!"_

_ "It's fine, Kevin. Open your eyes." He did as he was told, squinting a bit in the light. As his eyes adjusted, he looked around in amazement. Before him stood Gwen, dressed the same as she had been in the garage, except now, instead of just her eyes glowing, her entire body radiated pink light. They were in some sort of arched, marble hallway, with resplendent pillars and a tiled floor. Kevin looked down at his reflection, noticing that he too was glowing._

_ "Where are we?"_

_ "This is a manifestation of the Connection I just made. Turn around." It took him a little while to regain his bearings. When he was confident he could stand and pivot without falling or throwing up, he did so, only to teeter backwards in surprise. A massive wooden door was floating just behind him. He thought he even saw it wiggle slightly and moved farther away from it just in case. Gwen laughed softly in reaction to his demeanor. "Don't be afraid. It won't fall on you."_

_ "So what will it do? It can't open, there aren't any hinges." He pointed out. _

_ "That's because it doesn't need hinges. This door leads into your mind." She moved over to stand in front of it, touching its surface experimentally. _

_ "I have never seen a door like that in my life." Kevin protested. He crossed his bulky arms over his chest and glared at it. The whole thing seemed fishy to him. Gwen waved him over with a reassuring grin. Slowly, he stepped forward until he was close enough to see his shadowy outline in the wooden gleam. _

_ "You wouldn't have had to. Your subconscious made this for you. Its beautiful." She murmured, running both hands over it. When she moved to grasp the silver knob, an acute tingle raced up his spine and he shivered slightly. Gwen, looking sheepish, released it and backed away._

_ "Sorry. I got a little carried away."_

_ "I don't mind." He replied truthfully. It wasn't a bad feeling. He frowned slightly and moved forward to touch the door, his door. "So where's yours?" She pointed towards the end of the lavish hallway, where it curved into a fading darkness._

_ "Farther back. The entrance to my mind is...a little more elaborate."_

_ "Oh?" Kevin let his finger run over the door knob before craning his neck to look at Gwen. She was calmly walking around the area, the clicking of her heels on the tile tracking her progress. Out of thin air, a comfortable couch appeared and she fell back into its soft cushions._

_ "Not that your entrance isn't impressive. I've just had more time to cultivate my mental environment. Also, since I'm the one initiating the Connection, we automatically arrive here; right in front of your doorway. It worked exactly like I thought it would."_

_ "So this means that we can talk whenever we want, right?"_

_ "Well, its a little one sided. You've never really done any meditation or mind manipulation, so it would be difficult for you to access this place by yourself. I would probably have to be the one to start every time. But, to answer your question directly, yes." Kevin smiled devilishly, hiding the smirk from Gwen as he turned back to his door._

_ "And we can talk here?"_

_ "We can do whatever we want-" She stopped mid sentence, eyes widening as Kevin turned and gave her a meaningful look. She started to say something else when Kevin closed the distance quickly and kissed her. Her protests died a horrible death in her throat as she leaned into his attentions._

_ "What about our bodies in the garage?" He mumbled against her as he reversed their places, replacing her back on his lap. Gwen struggled for a moment to find her words as he ran his broads hand up and down her back._

_ "When we go back, it will be like no time has passed at all."_

_ "Why didn't you mention this thing sooner? We'll never have to worry about being walked in on ever again!" He said excitedly, stretching up to plant a kiss on her cheek again. Gwen laughed happily, allowing him to plant a few more on her jaw and neck, before pushing him back into the couch. She kissed his nose sweetly, but then gave him a somber look._

_ "This isn't a playground, Kevin. The Connection we just made is a link between our minds."_

_ "Sounds hot." He muttered distractedly. His gaze had wondered down to where the neckline of Gwen's dress was hanging open. She sat up and slapped him softly on the side of the head. _

_ "I'm being serious."_

_ "So am I. Wanna come into my mind and have a little fun?" Gwen glared at him. She lifted herself off his lap, her eyes glowing pink, and turned towards the darkened hallway. "Where are you going? Gwen? Come on, I'm sorry. I'll stop fooling around." He chased after her and grabbed her wrist. The contact made her stop. She twisted towards him, snuggling into his broad chest as he wrapped his arms around her small body._

_ "There's another reason I wanted to do this, other than to say I could." She whispered into the fabric of his shirt. Kevin craned his neck trying to get a view of her face._

_ "Yeah?"_

_ "Its because no matter where we are, or what has happened to us, we're still close to each other." She raised her head and smiled up at him. Kevin felt his insides begin to melt as he unknowingly returned her display of happiness. Could there be anything more perfect about the girl in his arms? He didn't think so. With a tenderness he never knew he had, Kevin cupped the sides of Gwen's porcelain face and captured her lips with his own. He couldn't voice his feelings as well as she could, but he could make them known regardless. Without another utterance, he drew her back towards the couch and back down onto his lap._

_

* * *

_a/n: well, this was definitely a long one. i guess it makes up for the shorter ones i've been posting. plus, it might be awhile until i get a chance to get another chapter up because i'll be going back to school soon and what not. by no means does that mean i'm giving up on this story. i want to thank everyone whos' been reviewing and reading. i hope you guys are happy with this and i'll try not to make you suffer too long.:D


	6. Chapter 6

How he got back to sleep, he wasn't sure, but the next time Kevin stirred, the sun was already beyond the square of his window. The dusty blinds filtered the light shining outside, keeping the area cool and dark. He moved experimentally beneath the thin top sheet, wincing as he felt the tender area above his belly button tense with his actions. Looking down, he inspected the deep bruise as if inspecting an engine, sizing up the places where it was more sore than others. Satisfied that it wasn't anything he couldn't handle, he flung himself from his mattress and grabbed the towel he had used the previous morning, dumped in a forgotten heap in the middle of his cluttered floor. It was still a little damp, but it didn't really matter to him. His mind was already in a different place.

He walked across the hall to the shower, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and trying to work out all the memories he had previously tried so hard to bury. The hallway and its ghostly remnants haunted him. Guilt began to bubble up inside of his gut, a sinkhole reopened. What was worse than forgetting about the link was not knowing what had transpired there since his last visit. The claw marks on the door chilled him especially. There was no way of knowing when they had been made, or who had made them and why. The only thing he knew of for certain was that they could not have been made by Gwen.

In affirmation, Kevin shook his head firmly. Gwen wouldn't do something like that, no matter how mad she was at him. He pulled the shower curtain far enough aside to reach in and turn on the water. With a squeak, the plastic knob turned and the shower head burst to life, sending cold spray down onto his forearm. He jumped back instinctively, returning to himself with a small shock. It wasn't unusual for him to be a little out of it in the mornings, but today he felt more out of touch than ever before. Even as he stepped into the porcelain tub, he couldn't end his occupation with the previous night's mystery.

And therefore, Kevin could not enjoy the shower like he normally did. Distracted, he went through the motions, shampooing his lengthy hair, soaping up the rough, terry washcloth, until there was nothing left to do but stand beneath the steamy spray and think. She had said it herself. Only they could access the connection. So how had someone else gotten there? Where they the ones who had taken her from her apartment? Was the man Argit had spoken of the one who had left the marks on his door, cleaned her apartment of any trace of her?

With a start, he grabbed the shower curtain and jumped out of the tub, completely forgetting to shut off the water. In a flash, he pulled the towel around himself and rushed back into his bedroom. The silver disc of his Plumber's badge shone like a beacon in the filtered light, partially hidden in the back pocket of a worn pair of jeans. He swiped it smoothly from the pocket and spoke into its green face.

"Badge, call Tennyson, Ben."

* * *

_Memory was a fickle thing, subject to error and change. It moved like water in a bowl. You could grasp at it all you like, but all you ever came away with was a wet hand, tiny droplets that fell from the skin at the slightest shake. Even the most cherished events and faces, though recallable, were never picture-perfect. They were faded shadows, old movies that jumped and skipped and warped. One memory blended into another until they were inseparable, creating something new but hardly authentic, a falsified representation of a moment lived and utterly lost._

_ She found it utterly devastating that she could no longer recall her mother's face, nor her voice, nor any other thing about her. It was the same with her father. Floating in the abyss that was once her bed, she struggled to hold onto some semblance of her family, but the more she tried to hold on, the farther they slipped. It was the same with her brother. She loved her brother dearly; she missed him even more. But why? She didn't know why she missed him. Did he leave? Did he move far away? Were they not as close? What happened? There were other family members that she felt the same about, people whom she felt a deep affection for, but could no longer remember why. She had a cousin who was very important, but they too had vanished into the blackness. Nothing remained._

_ Even more startling was the fact that her own name and likeness had begun to disappear. There were no mirrors in this place. No light fell or shone. For all she knew, she had ceased to exist and she was nothing but a puff of air floating in space. There was nothing to hold her back, nothing to ground her. And the more she tried to figure out why, the less she knew. _

_ But there was something. There were feelings. If nothing else remained of her, the emotions she vividly felt would. Sparks of pain, white-hot like a jolt of electricity. Heavy clouds of despair. Constricting ribbons of anger, wrapped in barbs of hatred. These were not unfamiliar to her, but they were unusual. The restlessness that plagued her, like rolling thunder, made her uneasy. When they first began, she thought she may have been drowning, but that theory had since been disproved. Wherever she was was not underwater. It more than likely wasn't anywhere even remotely terrestrial. And then came the fear, pulsing beneath the surface, making her catch her breath. The fear was the only thing keeping her sane, she was sure of it, the only thing that reminded her that her heart hadn't stopped beating and something of her old self still remained. For how long, it was impossible to tell._

_ "Please wake up. Somebody wake me up." She heard herself say but the voice wasn't one she recognized. _

_ "You will never awaken again. At least, not as yourself." The reply made her jump. There was no other soul she could see, but she felt the chilled points of claws drag along the expanse of her back. "The sooner you just accept it, the sooner all of this will be over, and you will be at peace."_

_ "No! I want to go back!"_

_ "Back to where? Do you even know what you're asking for?" An ugly cackle filled the oblivion, bouncing off of invisible walls to slam into her, echoing inside of her ears until she had to scream out of frustration. The anger smoldered in the pit of her stomach. The fear began to evaporate. And she ground her teeth together at the delectable idea of finding the owner of that annoying laughter and ripping out their throat._

_

* * *

_

Gwen's house had always been big to him. His parents were a little more modest with their dwelling than his uncle. Of course, their tastes were much different. Uncle Frank and Aunt Jane were strict classicists, in love with the old Tudor and Victorian town homes scattered throughout the neighborhood. His parents were quite happy in their renovated ranch spread with the spacious backyard. They were also much more free spirited in their décor choices, always opting for the more environmentally friendly choice, even if it wasn't always the best choice aesthetically. But Uncle Frank and Aunt Jane were nothing if not stylistic, and their living room, with its flagstone hearth and mahogany mantle had always been something grand in his mind.

Standing in front of it today, he felt even smaller than he used to. The cathedral ceiling hummed with the whirring of the fan, reminding him of just how high above him the roof was. It must have cost a fortune to run the central air, which he noticed hadn't been turned on, despite the already warm morning. His uncle had been opening windows when he rang the doorbell, letting in the slight breeze circulating through the city blocks. Ben felt it on his exposed arms, absentmindedly rubbing the spot it had kissed him as he perused over the photographs displayed above the fireplace.

The majority of them were of Gwen and her brother, Ken, but he saw his own face peering out at him from one of the farther frames. There were a couple from her high school graduation, a more formal one where she was posed on a tree trunk with her diploma in hand, and another where she and Ben had thrown their caps in the air together. He smiled at the memory. They looked so happy, so carefree.

"Here's your lemonade, son." Ben turned quickly at the sound of Frank's voice. The older man gave him a small smile and proffered the glass. Ben thanked him and took a sip, trying not to let his uncle see him sizing him up. He was thinner, much thinner, and the small streak of gray that had been growing at his temples seemingly had grown over night. When he turned to sit back in one of the sofa seats, he let out such a long, weary sigh, Ben suddenly began worrying if there wasn't something wrong with him physically. Frank had always been a taller, leaner version of his father, but there was a firmness about him that Ben always respected. Now, it seemed that that hardness had given way, like a dam buckling under the pressure of a flood that nothing could contain.

"Thanks. Where's Aunt Jane?" Ben asked as he seated himself.

"Her and Ken are at her mother's house for the week. Jane was an only child, so Gwen was her only granddaughter. As you can imagine, she's taking everything pretty hard." He stared down at the floor, his eyes completely unfocused behind his half-moon spectacles. His jaw set in such a way that Ben could tell there was more to the story, more that he was reluctant to tell.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a couple questions...about everything." He inquired carefully. Never taking his eyes off the plush carpeting, Frank nodded halfheartedly.

"Anything. Anything that might help. God knows the police have been useless." He muttered.

"I don't think this is anything that police can help with, Uncle Frank." Ben revealed grimly. "What had Gwen been up to before she went missing? Was there anything out of the ordinary, as far as you knew?" At Ben's prompting, Frank began to stroke his square chin. For a minute he looked stumped, even a little confused, but finally he nodded, as if suddenly he understood.

"Gwen's been very busy this semester. She just graduated from school, as you know, and she had already been accepted into the graduate program at her university. A week or so before we realized something was wrong, she called to let us know she was coming home the following weekend. She needed to pick up some books she had left behind. When she didn't show, we tried calling her to see if she got held up. We never got an answer. And beyond that, we didn't know much about what she was up to at school when she wasn't studying. Gwen never talked about it. But that'll happen. God knows what Ken did when he was in school..." Frank trailed off in a daze. His eyes finally moved from the carpeting up the mantle where they rested upon the picture of Gwen in her cap and gown. For a moment, Ben could see his bottom lip tremble, but as quickly as the emotion came, it passed. Frank patted his knees resolutely.

"Do you mind if I go up to her room and take a look around? I don't want to intrude-"

"Nonsense. You're family, Ben, and in my view, the only person who has a chance of finding out what happened to her. I knew the minute she showed me her powers that life was never going to be normal for her. I just...I just knew."

If he hadn't felt strange before, he certainly felt that way now. Ben practically tip toed into Gwen's bedroom, half-expecting her to emerge from around the corner and berate him for even thinking about coming through the doorway. The room smelled of apples and cinnamon, emanating from a small air freshener plugged into the outlet beside the doorway. Her cotton curtains were pulled shut. Only the glow of the morning sunshine could come through the two lattice windows. Even in the dimness, he could see that nothing was out of place, probably due more to her mother than Gwen herself.

Below in the living room, Uncle Frank still sat on the couch, his own glass of lemonade forgotten. Ben strained to hear for any noise he might make, but the older man was completely silent. Forgetting him for a moment, he made his way over to the nightstand table where he knew Gwen kept her magic books. The drawer was light as he yanked it open. A few baubles rolled around inside of its wooden frame, but there were no books and no charms. He frowned as he dug further inside but came away with nothing. Had she taken all those things with her?

Reluctantly, he began to search other areas of the room. The dresser yielded nothing (save for an embarrassing moment when Ben came face-to-face with a pair of lacy underwear), and the closet was likewise a failure. There were plenty of clothes, including some old pieces Ben remembered from when they were teenagers, and he even found her Lucky Girl catsuit tucked away inside an old shoebox. He continued to search, checking under her bed, inside the drawers and shelves of her desk. Finally, unwilling to come across anything else he might regret, he retrieved his badge from inside of his pocket.

"Badge, scan for nearest Plumber's badge, active and inactive."

"Scanning. Nearest badge located is Badge #39568-KEL. No others found." Ben narrowed his eyes. That meant that Gwen's old badge wasn't even within the Bellwood city limits. For a moment, he could only stand in the empty expanse in front of her bed and think about the last time they had discussed the item.

* * *

_"Are you sure about this? Its a big step." His cousin sighed quietly before him, looking up from the disc in her hand with a conflicted expression. Her green eyes slowly came back down to the badge. For a few seconds, she did nothing but softly stroke her thumb over its smooth surface and its green design. Then, with a small laugh, she stood up from the couch and set the object down on the coffee table._

_ "Yes, Ben. I'm sure. I barely made it through high school. How can I be a Plumber and a college student at the same time?" Gwen argued, but Ben could tell that she wasn't convinced. _

_ "Have you told Kevin?" He asked. At this, Gwen moved her head sharply._

_ "No. Not yet. I suppose I'll have to sooner rather than later. I've already arranged with HQ to have my badge decommissioned." She murmured. With a heavy plop, she sat down next to him, her shoulders rubbing up against his. Their blazing green eyes met and for an instant, Ben thought he could see a hint of regret._

_ "You made a great Plumber. You know that right?" He offered. She chuckled a little, then sought the view over across her living room. The window's blinds were pulled open. Outside, in the shining sun of the afternoon, the neighborhood street was busy. The mailman was walking along the sidewalk, leafing through his envelopes. A few cars buzzed down the street, slowing down for the stop sign at the corner. Her eyes began to glow with unshed tears. Ben leaned over to wrap an arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry."_

_ "No. I'm not going to miss it. But its been a part of my life for so long. Hell, its part of our family history." She inhaled shakily and pressed her face into his arm. _

_ "Do you want me to take it? The badge?"_

_ "No. I want to keep it. Even if it doesn't work anymore, I want to keep it."_

_

* * *

_

It must be in her apartment. Ben turned on his heel, opening his mouth to call for his uncle when suddenly his badge beeped again.

"Incoming call from Levin, Kevin." He started slightly at the name, almost forgetting that he had been in contact with the older boy. He pressed the side button as he side stepped into Gwen's bathroom and shut the door, hoping to keep the conversation as quiet as possible. He wasn't sure how his uncle felt about Kevin, though it had come to him that his aunt no longer felt as charitable about him.

"What's up?"

"We need to visit Gwen's apartment." Ben stopped short, but then smiled.

"I was just thinking the same thing. I'm sure my uncle has the key."

"Do we need a key? Didn't you say you were already there?" Kevin pressured. Ben hissed quietly and moved farther into the bathroom.

"I didn't break in. The badge can scan from outside, remember?"

"Yeah. Whatever. Get it and meet me at the garage in an hour. I need to do a few things before I take off." Ben opened his mouth to reply but before he could, Kevin hung up on him. He growled under his breath, but pocketed the badge with minimal grumbling. He flung open the bathroom door only to step back in surprise. Uncle Frank was standing beside Gwen's bed, looking down at a lone picture frame sitting on her nightstand.

"Uncle Frank -"

"Was that that Levin boy you were talking to?" He didn't sound angry, but he didn't sound very happy either. Ben winced. How could he best explain this without pissing anyone off?

"Uh, yeah, he's...helping me out."

"I always liked that boy." Frank admitted slowly. He dug into the pocket of his pants, revealing a key ring with two sets of keys and a small, pink cat charm. "Jane doesn't really agree with me. But he always made Gwen happy. And he took good care of you two. This is Gwen's. The landlord gave it to me after we paid the rest of her rent for the year. Just in case..." He launched the key ring at Ben, who caught it easily enough. They were warm from being carried around.

"Thanks. I'll do everything I can. I promise."

"I know you will."

* * *

I apologize for this way delayed update, but I made it longer to make up for it. There was actually supposed to be more, but I'm running out of steam for the night so here we are! Hopefully, I can squeeze out another chapter before school starts back up again and my life is hell. Thanks for reading, as always, and enjoy!


	7. Chapter 7

"You fool! Do you realize what you could've done with your meddling?" The assistant looked up from its place above the girl, their hands still poised at the sides of her temples. Skullface flew into the dank room. Its tail wound around its helper's midsection and roughly threw them to the side. They hit the wall with a dull thud, but made no sound. It growled at them menacingly before turning its attentions downwards. The girl didn't appear to be moving. In fact, it couldn't even feel the slightest thrum of activity coming from her prostrate form. Luck must have been on their side. Such a stunt could have unraveled everything it had done. When it was satisfied that she wasn't about to jump awake, it turned its hollow sockets back upon the assistant. They had righted themselves, standing a few paces away, a simple silhouette.

"I knew exactly what I was doing. If she hadn't reacted instinctively, we'd have another to do our work-"

"I believe in greed as much as anyone, but yours is beginning to become dangerous. We are lucky that the interaction did not stir her awake. It isn't quite time yet. The marks must heal completely. If we move too soon, the curse may be able to be compromised." Its claws ran over the top of her exposed wrists where the faint traces of runes could still be seen. They were not as violent as their mental counterparts had been. Even that had been mostly for show. These markings were thin scratches, though they dug deep into the flesh, thus taking longer to solidify. Magic was a tricky thing, not something often trifled with by its kind, but its results were undeniable. Just a few more days and the process would be complete. But until then...

"She was under my complete control the entire time." The assistant protested. "If the connection can be used to our advantage, why not utilize it? Why not possess both of them?"

"Yes, that would have been best, but she didn't allow you to do such a thing now, did she? No matter. Even if the link would be accessed from the other side, anyone who dared to enter her mind would become just as trapped as she. It is no longer a threat, and procuring more mindless slaves is not essential. Come with me, it is time we discuss furthering our plans." It beckoned for the assistant to follow its trail as if glided from the dungeon-like room and out into the darkened hallway. The eastern side of the depot glowed with the threat of sunlight and it avoided the beams that managed to squeeze through the wooden planks. The assistant walked through them undeterred. Finally, it settled itself into the darkest corner, sighing contentedly as the darkness and cold enveloped it.

"What do you need of me?" The assistant asked after Skullface had gotten comfortable. Its sockets glowed red as delightedly evil thoughts raced through its mind.

"To do what you do best. Lay the trap and set the bait."

"You don't think it will be too soon?"

"It will never be too soon to get rid of that menacing brat." It hissed. Its claws clicked together as it remembered the man's hand around its throat. No one touched it in such a manner and lived to tell the tale. "Besides, its why we involved him, isn't it? By the time Tennyson and his lackey have realized they're on the wrong trail, it'll be too late. Are you ready to work your magic?" The assistant reached up to remove their cowl. It settled upon their back with a soft flop. Skullface watched a slow, malicious grin curl the line of their lips, tugging at the corners of their cold, cruel eyes.

"Always."

* * *

At least, Kevin thought, this car ride was turning out to not be as awkward as the previous one. The trip was going to be long. Gwen's college was on the other side of the neighboring state, a four hour drive on a good day with good traffic. He hadn't been to that particular city, but he remembered going to a small car auction a few miles south of it once. It had been a cold winter's day, the exact opposite of the conditions they were in now. The temperature display in the Camaro read a cool 85 degrees.

"Its not even noon yet!" Ben complained beside him. The younger man had to call out to Kevin over the din of the wind racing through the windows. "Can we please use the A/C?"

"You know how much extra gas that would take up?" He yelled back.

"Yeah, but it would be worth it. You should have let me drive, I have a gas card." Ben griped again. Kevin sighed and rolled the windows up, flicking on the air conditioning with a reluctant grimace. He cast a withering glance at Ben before turning his attention back to the road.

"Just for a little while." He warned. The car smoothly eased into the left lane as they passed by a line of semis. Traffic hadn't been too bad, which was to be expected at this time of the morning on a weekday. Kevin anticipated it to get a bit heavier as they got a bit closer, mostly due to the lunch rush. But traffic around bigger cities was always busy. It was easy to get lost in the clogged lanes between the sports cars, tractor trailers, and utility vans. That wasn't the kind of driving he enjoyed. He loved the highway, but only when it was open, a gateway for him and his 8 cylinder to get lost upon. The bumper-to-bumper atmosphere only wore on his nerves.

"So...what made you want to check out Gwen's apartment?" Ben asked suddenly. Kevin reflexively stiffened at the mention of her name. He still wasn't used to using it in casual conversation, or even hearing it mentioned. Chewing on his bottom lip, he threw an elbow up against his window, trying to appear flippant. He wasn't sure he was ready to divulge last night's discovery with Ben yet. He wasn't even certain how to broach the subject. 'Well, you see Benji, when your beloved cousin and I were teenagers, we thought it would be fun to link our minds forever and an eternity...'

"I just figured having another look at it wouldn't hurt. You know, while we wait for that guy to resurface over at the Door. What about you?"

"Uncle Frank let me look around in her room and I couldn't find her badge or any of her magic spell books."

"Her badge? You mean, her Plumber's badge?" Kevin repeated incredulously. His fists momentarily tightened on the steering wheel as he swung out to pass a sputtering station wagon. Ben, not ready for the quick movement, put a hand out on the dash to brace himself. He cast a suspicious look at Kevin.

"Yeah. I didn't know she had it with her. Figured she left it at home."

"Why would she have it in her apartment? That's ridiculous. She quit, she doesn't need it!" His voice began to rise within the cabin of the Camaro.

"What does it matter? Its not active. If she wanted to keep it with her, what would it hurt?" Ben shot back. "Besides, our badges are equipped with flesh memory technology, among other things. If we're lucky, we'll get a clue from it."

"Whatever." Kevin grumbled. "Let's just get there."

* * *

_"What did you say?"_

_ "Don't make me repeat it please."_

_ "I want to hear it again."_

_ "I don't want to be a Plumber anymore."_

_ "Why?" It was hard for him to keep the anger out of his voice, though he tried, because he knew exactly what she meant when she said that. _

_ "Because, Kevin, I don't want to. I...I just want to go to college like any other normal 18 year old."_

_ "That's not what this is about." He spat at her. "This is about us, isn't it?" She looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. Her mouth fell open dumbly as he breezed past her, rummaging around his work bench for a spare rag._

_ "This is not about us. This is about me."_

_ "No it isn't! You want to be normal, you want a boring, average life! In case you haven't noticed, Gwen, I'm not normal!" He was screaming. He didn't even know it. He couldn't hear anything but the bottom of his stomach falling out. _

_ "I don't understand what that has to do with anything! I love you, but I don't love being a punching bag for every single alien that comes along. I want to move on with life-"_

_ "And how are you going to do that and stay with me? I've already signed up with Ben to go to the Plumber's Academy in the fall."_

_ "You what?" Her face visibly dropped. With a heavy plop, she fell onto the couch, staring down at her knees in shock. "Why didn't you tell me?"_

_ "I was going to tell you when I found out for sure that my application was accepted. I guess now there's no need." He stalked past her. She reached out to grab his arm, but he yanked it away from with all the viciousness he could muster. Glaring down at her, he leaned in close enough to hiss, "If you really didn't want to be with me anymore, you should have just said something." There was a flash of stubborn anger in her eyes as she stood to her feet._

_ "You're being ridiculous."_

_ "No. What's ridiculous is how stupid I was for ever believing we had something special." He knew he should have stopped while he was ahead. It was stupid of him to dig such a deep, painful hole, but his pride wouldn't let him back down. She wanted out, she was free to go. He wouldn't run after her. She wanted to abandon him, she could just walk out. It wasn't the first time in his life that he had watched someone he cared about leave._

* * *

Once they had gotten off the highway, Kevin allowed Ben to dictate the directions. The streets through campus were incredibly winding, a trait that he usually appreciated on a map, but the one-ways were killer and the space incredibly cramped. More than once he almost took off a side mirror of a car parked along the way. Ben hissed every time they narrowly escaped an accident.

"Watch it Kevin. Sheesh." He muttered. Every time, Kevin chose to ignore him. Finally, after what seemed like hours of driving, Ben directed him into a small lot behind a modest apartment complex

"Is this it?" Kevin asked, peering up at the three story buildings from under the front windshield. Ben craned his neck as well. The structures weren't new, but their brick facade was impeccably maintained and each set of windows had newly painted shutters decorating their ridges. Even the lawn was well-kept, proven when a groundskeeper appeared in denim overalls pushing a wheelbarrow full of dirt around the flower beds.

"Yep. Not bad, huh?" Ben added.

"I guess." It was certainly nicer than the apartment he shared with his mother. Suppressing his sour thoughts, Kevin got out of the car. Ben followed suit. "So which one is hers?"

"Second floor, second building. Apartment #222." Kevin rolled his eyes. He fell in step behind Ben as he walked up to the glass door of the second building. With the first key on the ring, he led them into the inside hallway. Out of the corner of his eye, Kevin noticed the security camera hidden above the door frame.

"This place has surveillance. Did they have any tape with her on it the night she disappeared?" Kevin inquired. Ben merely glanced at the camera as they headed up the metal stairs.

"Uncle Frank didn't go into much detail, but I used some Plumber strings to see the police report."

"My, my, that's a bit of a delinquent move for you." Kevin remarked. He raised an eyebrow at Ben as they stopped outside of the Apartment #222. The younger man shrugged while shuffling through the keys.

"I am technically an officer of the law. Anyway, the camera caught Gwen leaving earlier in the evening, then returning later that night, sometime around 11 PM. After that, there was nothing." Ben found the key he needed and stuck it into the lock. As he fumbled, Kevin felt his anxiety begin to simmer inside his stomach. Ben succeeded in unlocking the door a few moments later and he let it swing open.

The room inside was dark and warm. The blinds in the windows had been pulled against the summer day, allowing only traces of sunlight to filter through. A blast of familiar smells hit Kevin as they took a few steps inside. Her perfume surrounded them, the scents of her shampoo, her lotion, even the way her clothes smelled. It sent a shiver down his spine. He surveyed the living room with a twinge of longing. Everything about its décor reminded him of her. The furniture was arranged just so, with coordinating throw pillows complimenting the fabric of both couch and easy chair. There was a fine layer of dust beginning to grow on the end tables and shelves, but he knew if she had been there, everything would be polished to perfection.

"Badge, conduct preliminary scan of area." Ben instructed to the silver disc in his hand. The green face flashed once, twice, and then began to flicker in earnest.

"Conducting...Conducting..."It repeated over and over again as the machine continued to work. Kevin narrowed his eyes and headed further into the apartment. The hallway leaded to her bedroom was thick with darkness. He paused at the opening to flick the switch. Above him, the small round light blazed to life. He looked to his right and left at the myriad of picture frames hanging on the wall. Many of them featured Gwen and her family. There was one with her and Ben when they were younger, proudly displaying a pair of caught fish. Their grandfather sat smiling behind them. There were more closer to her door with people he had never seen before. Most of them were girls, with the occasional boy thrown into the mix. He ignored their presence completely before turning into the last room.

Her bedroom had been likewise shut against the world. Instead of blinds, however, heavy linen curtains were pulled shut over the window. Kevin slowly ventured in, looking at the shadowy expanses of her bed, desk, and dresser. He reached out tentatively for the curtain, squelching the intrusive feeling he felt, and threw one side open. A flurry of dust flew up into the rays. This room was even more evocative of her, right down to the long, red hair sitting on the pillow.

"The police have already swept this place, right?" He called out to Ben.

"Yeah. Why?"

"They didn't find anything out of the ordinary?"

"No." Ben appeared in the doorway. His badge was still blinking. "I think we should try to find her badge and her magic books. She writes in them. Maybe she'll have some new notes."

"Preliminary scan results show no new activity." It reported. Kevin sighed and slid open the top of her dresser drawer. He promptly shut it again upon seeing the lacy edge of a bra.

"I'm not digging through her underwear." He warned. Ben stifled a laugh before turning back to his badge.

"Badge, scan the area for nearest badge, active and inactive." He commanded. His badge complied quickly.

"Nearest badges are KEL - # and GJT-#4765."

"I knew it was here. Locate Badge GJT-#4765." A moment later, the top drawer of the dresser began to vibrate. Kevin rolled his eyes, slapping his palm over his face.

"Women." He groaned, sliding the drawer open again. Ben watched him with a small smirk as Kevin delved through Gwen's unmentionables before finally retrieving her badge. At his touch, it stopped vibrating and its face-light switched off. He turned it over in his palm a couple of times before handing it off to Ben. "Now what?"

"You still have your tech lab, right? We take it back and run the tests. See if anyone aside from her has touched it since it was deactivated. Come on." Kevin turned to close the drawer, but stopped short when he noticed a small frame tucked in the corner. He slowly delved into the depths and brought out the photo. Beneath the glass, Gwen sat at a pedestal table in a darkened room. She was bent over towards the center of the table, an impossibly happy smile plastered across her face. Her eyes sparkled even under the harsh flash of the camera. One arm hung lazily over the table while another was draped flippantly over the wide shoulders of a younger, happier version of himself. Kevin blinked dumbly at his past visage. He was surprised she had kept anything having to do with him. He ran a thumb over the dusty pane covering their faces. He wasn't smiling as widely as she was, but he remembered that night, a peaceful evening with no mention of aliens or cars or homework, and he remembered feeling exactly the way she looked.

"What's that?" Ben asked from the doorway. Kevin quickly jammed the photograph back into her drawer. The corner jammed against something solid beneath a mound of bras. Kevin frowned and reached in, his embarrassment melting away. He grabbed hold of the object and pulled, unearthing a rather old, musty, purple-leather bound book. "Her spell book!" Ben exclaimed, jumping forward to grab it. Kevin let him have it without an argument and he shut the drawer with one last look at the photograph.

"You think there's going to be anything in there?"

"I'm not sure. No one really knew what Gwen was up here except Gwen, you know?"

"I don't know how I feel about going through her diary." Kevin admitted. He was about to follow Ben out when he remembered the curtains. He turned to close them, glancing out the window of the view of the parking lot, when something blonde caught his eye. He paused and looked down at the tall, handsome man staring up at the apartment. For a moment, their eyes met and Kevin was surprised to feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up straight. He glowered at the man before slamming the curtains shut. He shut the light switch off, trying to get the man's piercing gaze out of his mind, and rejoined Ben in the living room.

"Are we ready to go?" Ben asked quietly. Kevin nodded and motioned towards the door.

"Yes. Let's get the hell out of here." Ben eyed Kevin warily before turning towards the door. They left the apartment silently. Kevin walked out first and turned to look back into the apartment one last time. Ben shut the door, effectively shutting her out Kevin's mind. He clenched his jaw trying to squelch out the mixed feelings churning in his gut, when he noticed the blonde man once again. This time, the man had moved to stand in front of the door and was staring up at them. "Hey. Who the hell is that?" Kevin asked, hitting Ben lightly on the arm. The younger man turned around to look at what Kevin was talking about. His eyes narrowed as he noticed the man.

"I'm not sure. Let's go find out." The two exchanged knowing looks and began to casually descend the stairs. Kevin quickly surveyed the surroundings. The railing was solid metal; he could absorb enough of it to knock the man's block off should he prove to be hostile. Ben, likewise, seemed prepared as he nonchalantly began to scratch a patch of skin on his arm above the Ultimatrix. They exited the building, only to find the man nowhere in sight. The two of them observed the parking lot with suspicion, both jumping slightly when someone cleared their throat behind them.

"Excuse me. Are you acquaintances of Gwendolyn Tennyson?" Kevin and Ben pivoted quickly on their heels, coming face to face with their prey.

"Depends. Who are you?" Kevin snarled. The man looked somewhat taken aback, but slowly outstretched a hand in Kevin's direction.

"My name is Shane Hopewell. I am...or I was Gwen's boyfriend."

* * *

a/n: I apologize for the delay, but school will ruin even the best laid plans. I have had this laying around for awhile and i have been working on it here and there. Bad news is that I don't have another one started, so it may be a bit of a wait. But thank you for reading and most importantly, enjoy!


	8. Chapter 8

_"Well, look what the cat dragged in." She quipped dryly as she swung open her apartment door. Ben, tired and worn from the trip in, chuckled under his breath in response. He opened his arms to give his cousin a hug, which she accepted with ferocity. For a minute, they held each tightly, both smiling at finally being reunited after such a long time. Gwen eased backwards, releasing her hold on him. "Come on in. You look beat."_

_ "Yeah, entering the atmosphere as an intangible alien life form will do that to you." He muttered good-naturedly. Reaching down, he picked up his small knapsack, standard Plumber issue, and walked past Gwen into her apartment. He threw the sack down next to her couch, eyeing the cushions with relief. Then, he set a couple of her throw pillows to the side before sitting down with a heavy plop. Gwen had disappeared into her small kitchenette. Ben heard the rattling of glasses before the rush of water from the faucet. The sound was soothing enough to convince him to close his eyes for a moment or two._

_ It had been one hell of a journey back from HQ. The last mission hadn't been long, but it had been busy, and he had come back to his bunk feeling like a pancake. After a few hours of sleep, he was paged by the Communications department, notifying him of a message from Earth. It was from his parents, reminding him of the annual Tennyson family barbeque and requesting his presence. His mother had left a side note suggesting he stop by Gwen and carpool back to Bellwood with her. Ben had laughed out loud at that idea. Like he needed a car. He grinned at the memory, cracking open an eye as a shadow fell across him. Gwen handed him a tall glass of ice water. He took it gratefully._

_ "I figured. So, out of the academy and into the field. You must be busy." _

_ "Grandpa keeps me on my toes. What about you? College finally turning out to be everything you expected?" Ben asked. Gwen's lips began to contort into a grin but she smothered it. Ben watched her with interest as she set herself into the matching lounge chair beside the couch. She squirmed a little, getting comfortable against its high back, and then took a silent sip from her glass. _

_ "It's...turning out to be." She answered cryptically. "Not that you probably care. What a lousy cousin you are, only coming to visit me my senior year!" Gwen accused him playfully. Ben threw his free hand up in defense. _

_ "Don't blame me! I'm only one of the most revered super heroes in fifteen galaxies. Besides, I'm here to save you gas, remember?" She scoffed, blowing bubbles into her water._

_ "Right. So you're suggesting we fly back to Bellwood instead?"_

_ "Unless you can come up with another idea." The minute he said it, he knew she was going to make him regret it. She quirked an eyebrow at him before disappearing in a flash of magenta. Ben had to steady his glass. In his shock, he had nearly launched the water over his shoulder. A second flash filled the hallway and Gwen walked out as if she had never left in the first place._

_ "Teleportation spell. Instantaneous, free, and the best part, no tangled hair." _

_ "I guess." He murmured. "It doesn't make you woozy anymore?" Gwen shrugged as she reseated herself._

_ "Not really. Just because I'm retired doesn't mean I've stopped working with my powers. Or stopped talking with people from high school." She shot him a pointed look. "I've actually been talking quite a bit lately with Julie." At the name of his former girlfriend, Ben cringed. He cast a furtive glance towards the open window, suddenly wanting to skip the teleportation and just fly back home._

_ "Oh? How's she doing?"_

_ "She's doing well. You wouldn't know because you've been off planet, but she's competing in Wimbledon next year. And Ship ran away. She hasn't seen him in months."_

_ "Huh."_

_ "Don't sound so interested." _

_ "She broke up with me, remember?" He spat out sourly. He reached over to set his glass on the end table, then folded his arm petulantly over his chest. Wanting to get in a jab himself, Ben eyed his cousin sitting calmly on the chair, and locked in on her. "I hear Kevin broke up an illegal alien slave ring recently. It was a pretty big deal at HQ." As he predicted, Gwen bristled at the mention of their former partner. However, just as Ben was preparing to duck, she sighed and nonchalantly smoothed out her skirt. Her dour frown was replaced with a smug grin._

_ "Well, that sounds lovely for him. My new boyfriend recently won a few very prestigious academic awards for his work in the humanities." Now Ben was really glad he had set down his glass. He sat up off the cushions in numb shock._

_ "You have a boyfriend?" His surprise seemed to irk her a bit. The redhead followed his lead and relegated her glass to the small pedestal table beside the lounge chair, then folded her hands in her lap._

_ "Yes. Don't look so shocked." She replied testily._

_ "Sorry. It's...It's just that its been years. And no one's mentioned anything."_

_ "I've been a bit busy to regale our parents with stories about my personal relationships. Besides, its a new thing and I didn't want to mention anything about him until I thought it was going somewhere." She confided quietly. Ben watched her for a moment, noticing just how happy she seemed. The idea of Gwen being involved with someone else was still a bit foreign to him, but Gwen and Kevin hadn't even spoken to each other since high school. The idea that there might be a reconciliation had long been lost. It was only going to be a matter of time before she found someone else, seeing as he already had. Pushing his former partner out of his mind, Ben smiled devilishly at his cousin._

_ "So I'm the only one that knows? Not even Ken? Does this mean I can't make fun of you at the reunion?" Gwen shot him a sharp look._

_ "Absolutely not! If you so much as breathe a word about it to anyone, especially Ken, I'll teleport you to the worst place you can imagine!" _

_ "Okay, okay! Calm down. Does Romeo have a name?" He asked. Gwen opened her mouth to say when suddenly she stopped. Her eyes narrowed, as they always did when something confused her. Ben waited patiently for a response. "Gwen?" She flinched slightly at the sound of her name. It was so subtle Ben barely noticed it. He frowned when she seemed to come out of her slight reverie and pointed a long finger in his direction._

_ "No more information. I've already said too much."_

_ "Fine. Don't tell me. You know I'll find out eventually right?" She ignored his look of determination and drained what was left of her water. Ben stood and offered to take hers to the sink, along with his own. _

_ "I have to get a few things to take back for the weekend." Gwen muttered, disappearing down the hall once again, this time on her own too feet. Ben shook his head and laughed a little. He still knew exactly how to push her buttons. The idea of letting his knowledge of her new suitor slip to her older brother was tempting, but spending an entire weekend with an angry half-Anodite made it a little less appealing. The only advantage he could find was that if Ken pushed her enough, she'd break and they might be able to find out a little more about the prestigious scholar who had caught her attention. He couldn't deny he was painfully curious about the man replacing his old friend back in Bellwood. There was a small crash from inside her bedroom and Ben jumped at the noise, almost sending one of her glasses careening onto the linoleum floor._

_ "Gwen? Everything okay?"_

_ "Yeah, it's fine. Too many books on the bookshelf, that's all." She appeared out of the darkness of the hallway, carrying her backpack and an overnight bag. Ben grabbed his own luggage and then Gwen's hand, outstretched towards him over one of her end tables. "You ready?" She asked. Ben grimaced as her eyes began to glow. He never really liked teleporting. It felt oddly like being squeezed out of somewhere you didn't really want to be squeezed out of._

_ "I guess. Let's get this over with."_

* * *

But Ben had never mentioned to Ken anything about Gwen's boyfriend. He couldn't remember why, looking back at how eager he had been to devise a plan to do so. Now, he couldn't help but wish he had. Maybe it would have prepared him to meet the man himself.

Ben looked across the warm sidewalk at Shane Hopewell, taking in the man's well-kept appearance and instantly realizing why Gwen had found him so appealing. He was the exact opposite of Kevin, in both looks and mannerisms. Where Kevin was tall and dark, Shane was tall and dashing, with a bright, inviting smile, and shining blue eyes that moved analytically behind a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles. Where Kevin was brash and unforgiving, Shane seemed the perfect gentleman in his brown blazer and matching trousers. His hand, immediately outstretched in a courteous display, lingered between them before he rescinded it, looking slightly abashed.

Ben took a step forward and squinted up at Shane through the light. He had never met him before and had never heard a description, but something about him seemed familiar. Yet, as much as he tried to place that familiarity, it evaded him. Sensing he was beginning to make Shane feel uncomfortable, Ben eased off.

"Hey. I'm Ben Tennyson, Gwen's cousin." Shane's face lit up in recognition at Ben's introduction.

"Ben! How great it is to finally meet you in person. Gwen's told me so much about you." He grabbed Ben's hand without hesitation and vigorously shook it. The younger man laughed uncomfortably at his enthusiasm.

"Thanks. I guess." His lackluster response caused Shane to abruptly drop his hand.

"Of course, I wish we had met under different circumstances." At this, his attention turned to Kevin, who had not moved from his spot, nor unfolded his large arms from across his chest. "You are?"

"The mechanic." He answered dully, annoyance roiling beneath the words. No doubt Kevin had also realized what Ben had moments earlier. The disparity between them was too obvious to completely escape him.

"Ah. Well. How kind of you to help the family at such a painful time."

"Uh huh." Kevin toned again. Seemingly aware that he wouldn't get anywhere with Kevin, Shane turned back to Ben.

"I'm terribly sorry if I've interrupted anything."

"Why would you say that?" Ben inquired.

"I saw you two in the apartment. Were you collecting some of her things?" Shane turned slightly on the heels of his leather loafers, looking up towards the curtained windows of Gwen's apartment, as he spoke. Then, he shoved his hands in the pockets of his trousers, casting his gaze back to the floor.

"Oh. That. Yeah, her parents asked me to pick up a couple of her...um...things." Ben searched for the proper words, not sure how to explain her spell book and badge. Shane cocked his head to one side and pointed at them in confusion.

"What are those?" Ben looked down at the items in question, then back up with a loud, forced laugh. Beside him, Kevin rolled his eyes.

"These things? Just a book and an alarm clock." Shane didn't seem convinced until Kevin jumped in.

"We're also taking back her car." Ben shot him a short look at the lie. He didn't get a chance to dispute it, however, as Shane stepped forward, as if to grab the items in question.

"What's so special about those? I've never seen either of them before." He stared intently at the purple binding of the book, then at the badge. His attention was somewhat unnerving and Ben slowly moved them behind his back in order to shift the focus.

"If you don't mind my asking, Shane, what are you doing here?" Shane sighed at the question, straightening but never removing his gaze from where the book and badge had disappeared. He popped his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose with a long, elegant finger, then grasped at his forehead.

"I came to say goodbye."

"To a building?" Kevin asked incredulously. Shane scoffed a little.

"No. To Gwen. I'm leaving later tonight for Europe to continue my studies at Oxford. Since she's gone, this is the best I can do." Ben and Kevin exchanged impressed glances, with the latter giving a low whistle under his breath. Shane ignored it and continued. "I'm not sure how much you know but I was the last one to see Gwen before her disappearance." Ben felt his stomach fall abruptly at Shane's confession, surprised when he actually leaned forward a little and nearly lost his balance.

"You...You saw her the night she went missing?"

"Yes. We went out to celebrate the end of the semester. I dropped her off afterwards. She went into her apartment...and never came out."

"Did you tell the police this?" Kevin asked gruffly. Shane snapped his head towards him.

"Of course! I was the first one down at the station to give my statement."

"Funny. My aunt and uncle didn't mention anything about you." Ben said slowly. The police report also made no mention of the man's statement. He watched Shane closely, suddenly not sure if he completely believed the good guy act he was putting on. He remembered the way Gwen had gushed about him and his academic awards, but refused to reveal anything else. Ben knew all too well that appearances could be deceiving. Was it possible that Gwen had been duped into liking someone who wasn't all that they seemed? It was a bit hard to swallow, but not impossible.

"It was my request that since I was cleared of any suspicion right away, my name not be included in the investigation. The academic institutions I hope to be involved with in the future won't take kindly to an applicant with a record, regardless of the reasons. That being said, it doesn't mean I don't feel any guilt about what happened."

"And why is that?" Kevin moved forward, dropping his massive arms. He jutted out his jaw at the blonde man in an unspoken challenge. For a minute, it looked like Shane might accept. There was a jump in his jaw, a twitch of muscle that Ben noticed, but before he could step in to play peacekeeper, Shane's face relaxed. He pivoted on his heel and walked a few paces down the sidewalk until he came to rest just below Gwen's bedroom window. When he turned, a single tear rolled down his cheek. Kevin wasn't moved but Ben found himself feeling even more confused than he did before. Shane's story seemed believable, as did his emotion about Gwen's disappearance. However, there was still something off putting that Ben could not place.

"I loved your cousin. And it kills me every day to know that I could have done something to keep her safe but didn't. Please." Shane came back to where the two of them stood, looking into Ben's face imploringly. "I've been too much of a coward to call her parents. Could...could you please tell them how sorry I am about all of this? And that I hope and pray and wish every day that she is found safe?"

"You can't tell them yourself?" Kevin once again spoke up. This time, Shane sneered at him openly. Apparently he no longer appreciated Kevin's interrogation.

"It isn't that simple. You wouldn't understand."

"I understand more than you know."

"You're the mechanic right? What was Gwen to you besides a quick paycheck? You don't understand anything."

"Alright, alright! Enough!" Ben interjected, sensing Kevin's short fuse begin to burn. His dark eyes narrowed dangerously and his fists remained tight and clenched at his sides. Shane came back to his senses with a sudden jolt, and looking ashamed, started to back down the sidewalk.

"I apologize. It's just...I can't take this anymore. It was nice to meet you. I hope you find her in the end." And with a flourish, he was gone. Ben watched him silently walk down to a fancy black town car, get inside, and pull out of the driveway. Kevin started to follow when Ben reached out to grab him. He shook his head.

"Don't."

"I can't believe we let him just walk away like that." Kevin growled at his side. Ben looked down at the book and badge in his grip.

"We got what we came for. Let's head back to the lab."

"Some idiot comes waltzing around the complex, telling you he was the last one to see your cousin alive, and you want to just go home?"

"She's not dead."

"What?"

"She's not dead!" Ben spat out. He wheeled on his older partner, holding up the book and badge. "Shane isn't our concern right now. These are what we needed and we got them. We can't waste time with false leads and -" Kevin held a hand up for him to stop. He opened his mouth to complain when he noticed Kevin's face had gone completely slack in shock. "What?"

"Did you think that Hopewell asshole looked familiar?" Ben frowned at the question.

"Yeah. I mean, maybe. I'm not sure. Why?"

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, handsome, impeccably dressed. The only thing missing was the goddamn glitter trail." Kevin spoke conspiratorially. He pushed past Ben, staring down at where Shane's town car had been previously parked. "Michael Morningstar." Ben thought for a moment then shook his head vigorously.

"No. He looked nothing like Morningstar. You're just having jealous flashbacks-"

"How long has it been since we saw him? He's resourceful, Ben, he could have done something to his face. We have to go after him before he gets away."

"Kevin, listen to yourself. You're being ridiculous! This is Gwen's boyfriend."

"And what more did you know about him?" Ben scoffed and turned away. Kevin quickly followed him. "Seriously, Tennyson. What more did you know about him?" He stopped and thought for a moment. Kevin had a point, as much as Ben hated to admit it. He could have kicked himself for never finding out more. After a few moments of silence, he raked a hand through his sweaty scalp.

"Nothing. I know nothing about him other than he won a couple of academic awards and Gwen really liked him." Kevin bristled a little at this last part, but he seemed vindicated.

"Do you think the library's open?" He started to walk back over to the Camaro. Ben followed close behind him. He rolled his eyes a little at Kevin's accusation. Then again, he couldn't be surprised. After all, Kevin and Michael Morningstar had never seen eye to eye, and Morningstar had, on more than one occasion, sought to get his slimy hands on Gwen. But to think that Shane might be him in disguise was something Ben had never considered because it just seemed plain impossible.

"Maybe. What good would come from visiting the library?"

"We talk with some of the workers there. See what kind of impression they have of Blondie."

* * *

Much to his parent's chagrin, Ben had never felt that he missed out on anything by not going to college. In fact, he often thought that perhaps he got the better end of the deal. He had no large amounts of debt assigned to him from loans. He never had to stress about final exams or term papers. His schedule wasn't determined by classes or part-time jobs. The farthest reaches of space was his campus and the classes were pass or fail, literally. Then, he and Kevin walked into Gwen's school library and his thinking began to change. If the campus outside had been green, but slightly dated, the library was completely opposite.

The two of them looked around the large, open atrium in quiet wonder. The entire floor was bathed in sunlight and filled with the gentle lull of running water from the small indoor fountain. A few groups of people sat around at its base, mostly talking amongst themselves, though there were one or two who sat alone with a book or a cell phone. A heavier-set brunette girl chewing on a pen tip occupied a circular desk to one side of the metal detectors barring further entrance into the library. Ben could see beyond the detectors a multitude of double doors leading to different hallways. Above the fountain, three levels of balconies rose up to the glass ceiling, and every so often, signs of life reached their ears on the first level.

Kevin overcame his awe first and left Ben wandering around the tile floor. He made his way over to the brunette at the desk, putting on his best smile. The girl appeared, at first, to be rather flattered by this and smiled widely as he casually rested himself against her kiosk.

"Can I help you?" She asked quietly.

"I hope so. This may seem like an odd question, but did you by chance know Gwen Tennyson?" At the mention of her name, the brunette's smile melted off her face. She looked up at Kevin as if he had suddenly sprouted horns. Ben, noticing her reaction, moved to join him at her desk.

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm Ben, Gwen's cousin. This is Kevin, a mutual friend. We're in town tying up some loose ends for her parents. She worked here, right?" He interjected. The brunette nodded, slowly at first, then a bit faster, as if coming to her senses.

"Yes. She did. We started together during our freshman year. Gwen was the nicest person I've ever met. It's so sad what happened." The girl's eyes started to water and she reached for a kleenex near her computer. Kevin leaned backwards just as she blew her nose rather loudly. Ben, who normally would have had to resist the urge to snicker, continued on somberly.

"Yeah, it's a pretty difficult time. Did Gwen act or say anything strange the last time you saw her?" The girl thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"Not really. She just seemed tired. Really tired. I assumed it was because of finals. Gwen always studied so hard. We didn't get to talk very much this last month because we were put on opposite schedules." She paused and scrunched her nose in confusion. "The police asked me these same questions. Didn't you talk with them?"

"The investigation is on-going." Ben said. Kevin leaned back in to take over.

"We were wondering if you could tell us anything about Shane Hopewell," He paused as he caught sight of her name badge, "Claire." His charming smile didn't really have any effect on her. Claire's eyes immediately narrowed upon hearing Shane's name.

"Who?" She asked confusedly.

"Shane Hopewell. Tall, blonde guy with glasses. Didn't he also work here?" Kevin pressed.

"He didn't work here. I've never heard that name before. Hold on, let me check the student phone book." Claire bent over in her chair and opened a bottom drawer. She pulled out a large book with the library's facade on the cover. Kevin gave Ben a pointed look. He chose to completely ignore him, instead watching with interest as Claire paged through the book. When she finally got the right page, she searched up and down the list. She looked up at Ben and Kevin with a raised eyebrow.

"There isn't a listing for Shane Hopewell."

"He was a graduate student. Won a couple of awards or something." Kevin said. Again, Claire shook her head.

"This listing includes students, staff, and faculty. If he attended this university the past academic year in any capacity, his name and number would be displayed. Maybe you don't have the name right." Kevin casually cocked his head to the side, eyeing Ben grimly.

"I don't know Ben. Do we?" Ben wanted to be able to say something smart in return, but found he could do nothing but feel his gut sink to the floor. Swallowing, he tried to remain calm. Claire gazed at him questioningly. He waved his hand dismissively and gave a small chuckle.

"We must have gotten something mixed up. My aunt and uncle probably heard it wrong. Did you know Gwen's boyfriend?" Claire scrunched her nose.

"Gwen didn't have a boyfriend." The atrium fell silent. The remaining people sitting near the fountain had surreptitiously scooted closer at the mention of the Tennyson girl's name, mumbling to each other but also obviously paying attention to the conversation. Claire scoffed a bit and scooted herself forward so she was perched on the edge of the office chair. "She barely had time to eat outside of class, let alone hold down a relationship. I'm not sure who this Shane person is, but if he's telling you he and Gwen were dating, he's lying." She finished with finality. The phone on her desk started to ring and she excused herself to answer it. Kevin, not stopping to say thanks or goodbye, grabbed Ben roughly by the arm and dragged the younger man towards the door. He glared at the people on the other side of the detectors eavesdropping, and more than a few quickly found new interest elsewhere.

"Still think my theory is stupid?" Ben didn't answer. The minute they were outside the glass doors he wrenched his arm from Kevin's grip.

"Gwen told me they were dating. I remember the conversation as if it were yesterday."

"Well apparently they weren't. Not according to Claire." Kevin glared at him. He began to stalk towards the parking lot, situated just to the south of the building. "I should have went after him right away. Now we have to track his ass through the city." Ben followed behind, lost in thought. It was possible that perhaps Gwen had decided not to tell Claire about her relationship, but that didn't account for that fact that Shane Hopewell didn't attend the university, at least according to the directory. Maybe someone in the Humanities department would know him. It was a Saturday, though, and he highly doubted anyone would be around to help them. Ben jogged to catch up with Kevin.

"Wait. We should probably talk to the Registrar's office too." Kevin didn't approve. The older man turned on his heel and threw his hands up.

"What more proof do you want, Tennyson? Hopewell is dirty. You want to find your cousin? We need to find _him_."

"I'll admit, he is incredibly suspicious, but Gwen was adamant about not telling anyone what was going on. If she wouldn't tell me, why would she tell Claire? We should make absolutely sure that we're going after this guy for the right reasons-" A short beeping sound interrupted his last thought. They both immediately looked for their badges, only to find that it was Kevin's that was going off. Moving quickly, they ran back to Kevin's Camaro. Ben glanced around as he got into the passenger seat. There were a few people walking around the picturesque setting, mostly on the sidewalks leading to the student center. None paid them any attention, save for a lone girl with white-blonde hair walking out of the library. She looked away quickly when Ben spotted her and continued on her way towards the student center. He watched her back for a moment or so, only coming back to the present situation when he felt Kevin tug at his t-shirt. He quickly got into the car and closed the door just as Kevin answered the page.

"Levin here."

"K-kevin? It's Argit." Ben's breath caught in his throat. He regarded the badge with wide-eyes. The call came sooner than he thought and he cursed inwardly that they were so far away. Kevin would have to drive all the way back to Bellwood, then continue on to the Cellar Door. He, on the other hand, would be able to get there quickly enough as Jet Ray.

"What do you got?" Kevin asked quickly.

"It's that guy. The one I told you about before."

"The one talking about Gwen?" Ben chimed in.

"Yeah. He's here. He just got here." The rat-creature's swallow was audible through the speakers. Ben felt his mouth go dry as he leaned over the badge, the green light making his face glow even in the afternoon sunlight.

"We'll be right there." But Kevin didn't move.

"What does he look like?" He asked.

"I dunno. It's dark in here and he's surrounded by people. I can't get a good look."

"Keep him there until we show up." Ben commanded. Again, Kevin didn't move or cancel the page. The older man stared thoughtfully at the badge's face. When nobody responded immediately, Argit cleared his throat nervously.

"Listen, you wanted me to call. I'm not gonna risk my neck for you two, or the broad." The badge beeped as he hung up. Ben reached for the door handle.

"Where are you going?" Ben had just pulled the handle when Kevin reached over and grabbed his arm. He tried to pull away, looking up at him in confusion when he wasn't released.

"To the bar."

"The guy at the bar isn't nearly as important as Morningstar." Ben threw his head back in disgust.

"I'm not going to believe that until I've seen some proof other than your gut reaction. I agree that we need to find Shane, but this guy at the bar might be the key to that, and more." He implored. Kevin shook his head decisively.

"We don't know that for sure. It could be a false lead. We know Shane is lying. We need to find him first." Ben remained silent for a moment, digesting Kevin's words. He leaned back into the seat. Kevin did have a valid point, but he still couldn't help but feel there was more to the story than just assuming that Shane was Michael Morningstar sniffing around for revenge.

"Someone needs to check this other guy out too. Just in case. We'll split up and meet back at the lab when we can." Ben didn't wait for Kevin to argue. He pulled free of his partner's grip and got up and out of the car. The door slammed behind him as he reached for the Ultimatrix, but the window slid down and Kevin leaned as far over as he could to yell at him out the window.

"Just so you know, I think it might be a bad idea to do this separately."

"Then come with." Ben said plainly. Kevin sighed and shook his head.

"Fine. Go ahead. If I haven't heard from you in a couple of hours, I'll come looking."

"Ditto."

* * *

The white-blonde girl watched the two strange men in the car from the outdoor seating area, situated in a scenic niche by the student center. She had set her purse down on the metal park bench and leaned a knee onto the seat in order to get a better view of the Camaro and its inhabitants. Behind her, the usually bustling hub of student activity was deserted, save for a few who had stayed behind for summer classes. None of them noticed her at her perch.

The brunette man, who had only minutes earlier gotten into the car, now exited the vehicle. He exchanged a few more words with the driver, words she couldn't hear. They seemed congenial enough. The brunette had smiled before disappearing in a flash of green. He was replaced with an ugly, red creature that leapt up into the air and took off into the sky like a jet. The girl jumped in shock, but regained her composure soon enough as the man still in the car peeled out of the parking lot, leaving nothing but smoke and tire-marks in his wake. The car swung out in front of the student center. Through the window, she caught sight of the man behind the wheel. As if on cue, he turned his head, catching sight of her standing amongst the flora. He slammed on the brakes and swung over to the side of the road. There was a small buzzing as the window rolled down, though she could barely hear anything over the grumbling of the car's engine.

"Hey." He called out to her. Frowning, she waited for him to continue. When he didn't, she pursed her lips.

"Can I help you?" She asked coldly.

"I need to find the registrar's office." The boy said bluntly. She pointed down the road where it was split by railroad tracks.

"Go down that way and turn right after the tracks. It's the new building just beyond the gymnasium. There's a rather large sign out front, you shouldn't miss it."

"Thanks." The boy didn't even bother rolling up his window. He gunned the engine, leaving her mired in a thick black haze of exhaust and burning rubber. She coughed and waved the air in front of her face. When next she looked, the green car had disappeared beyond the tracks, heading in the very direction she had advised him to.

"Did you see that car?" A couple of boys had run out of the student center. They jogged farther out into the road, eyeing the marks on the pavement. She watched them with mild interest. They hadn't noticed her yet. One, a slightly chubby boy with a spattering of acne on his face, huffed lightly as he looked excitedly up at his friend. "I'd recognize it anywhere."

"What car?" The other boy, skinny, short, and bespectacled, didn't exactly share in his companion's enthusiasm. He scratched at his sparse mustache as he continued to look around for the vehicle in question.

"It was the Ben 10 car! You know, Ben 10, that kid from high school who could change into aliens?"

"Yeah. But why would he need a car?"

"He doesn't, but the guy with him did. I don't remember his name, but I saw him once. I bet he's here 'cause of that girl."

"She's been missing for awhile now. Kind of late to the game, aren't they?" The boy with the glasses had seen enough. He began to head back towards the student center. His chubby friend continued to look down the road, almost longingly, as if hoping the car might come back and the boy inside might offer him a ride or an adventure. After a moment or so, she saw his shoulders visibly droop and he trotted after the other boy.

"Gosh, I wish I would got out here sooner." The girl cocked her head to the side slowly. Once the boys had vanished back inside the center, she grabbed her purse and walked out of the seating area. The rest of the campus seemed to have ignored the car's noisy intrusion. There wasn't another soul out walking, and with the boys' departure, it seemed she would be left alone for the rest of her walk. A determined scowl on her face, she set off down the road.

* * *

He wasn't surprised to find the registrar closed. In fact, as he parked the Camaro and switched its operating system to defense mode, he had prepared for it. Kevin slid his keys out of the ignition and deftly absorbed just enough of their metal to cover his right index finger. Then, he pressed the digit up against the ignition until he could mold the metal around it and force it inside. It took a bit of tinkering but he did get the engine to start up. Small victory accounted for, he twisted his finger and shut the car off.

"Keep an eye on things for me, baby." He cooed to the dash as he got out. Once more in the balmy summer air, Kevin turned to shut the door and gazed up at the massive structure of stone, glass, and steel before him. He whistled appreciatively. The gymnasium, just next door as the girl had said it would be, was a big building, but the new administrative offices put it to shame. It was just another outdated, dome-roofed pile of red brick compared to its new neighbor. Of course, he assumed they would waste no expense on a place where most of their students began and ended their career. He came closer, surreptitiously keeping an eye on the environment around him. There were a few other cars in the parking lot aside from his, but since the offices were closed, he had to assume they belonged to the few students dedicated to their personal fitness. Tall, bushy pines formed a natural fence and barrier against the street on the other side. He wouldn't have to worry about a passerby seeing him.

Kevin stopped at the front entrance and read the listed hours. He feigned interest. It didn't matter that nobody was home. He would get in either way. Still pretending to read the writing on the door, he placed the same finger he had used in the car up against the lock. He looked back behind him again, just to make sure the coast was clear. Once he was confident, he molded his finger into the keyhole and squirmed around, feeling for the correct combination of shapes that would open the door. He found it quicker than he thought he would. The lock clicked. He felt the turning of the mechanics inside give way and kick-back against his intrusion. With a discreet push, Kevin edged through between the glass doors and into the cool interior.

The lobby area was sleek, designed more like a business than academic offices. The receptionist's desk, situated directly in the center beneath a glass atrium, looked like it had been carved out of black obsidian, with a stainless steel counter displaying the newest brochures and information about the university. Hanging glass lights illuminated the displays, even though the rest of the lights were out. Directly behind the desk was a set of stairs that led up to the second floor. To his right, there was a darkened conference room. He could just see the silhouettes of empty chairs and the dim reflection off of a television screen. To the left, a set of double doors blocked entrance to a longer hallway.

Kevin quickly set to work. There was no sense in admiring the architecture any longer. A building directory had been posted to the wall and it listed what department could be found on which floor. He scanned the list until he found what he wanted.

"Academic Services and Registrar. Third floor." He whispered to himself. "Bingo." He loped easily up the stairs, his long legs effortlessly taking him higher until he reached another set of double doors. A small glass plaque to the side of their shiny metal hinges told him he was in the right place. Smirking, he went to pull open one of the doors, only to find it was locked. Kevin rolled his eyes in slight annoyance. More locks didn't pose a problem, but they were a bit of a nuisance.

After a few seconds of tinkering, he clandestinely entered the Registrar's office. The space was nearly dark, save for a few safety lights inserted in the ceiling. He prowled around the lounge chairs in the waiting area. There was a large desk that formed a barrier between the general room and the cubicles and, he assumed, the computers. He didn't directly see a way to get over the desk so he merely jumped over it, landing deftly on the other side. There was a short beep that followed and he froze in place. He didn't even think about if the building had a security system in place. Groaning inwardly, he turned slightly to see a small box beneath the desk. A red light on the front of it flashed intermittently. It was probably just a panic button. Kevin chose to ignore it, but put himself in front of the nearest computer as quickly as possible.

His fingers flew over the keyboard as he worked on the machine. Getting through the university's password protection had been laughable. He actually considered leaving them an anonymous note telling them so, but then decided against it. No point in warning them until he was sure he wouldn't have to hack into their system again. The software in which they stored their data files were intuitive enough that he didn't even need to break out his badge for assistance. A few minutes of working and he was had all the information he needed at his fingertips.

"Alright, Shane Hopewell, let's put the final nail in your coffin." He muttered as he typed in the man's name. Just seeing it conjured up all the raw emotions Kevin felt standing in front of that creep. He hadn't liked him from the start, and not for the reasons that Ben had accused him of. He wasn't jealous. Why should he be? Who Gwen chose to spend her time with was no longer his concern. It hadn't been for awhile. Of course, that didn't mean he didn't enjoy the slight pang of satisfaction when he realized that there were no pictures of Gwen and Shane together in her apartment. But, all of that aside, there was just something off about him. He was too...perfect, and in Kevin's experience, that was a bad thing. Being too perfect meant you had something to hide.

He watched the computer screen as the database worked to find the source of his inquiry. He wasn't surprised when it came up empty.

"Ha! I knew it! Hopewell's a big, fat fake. Take that, Benji." He was just about to exit out when the thought struck him to look up Gwen. The urge came suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, and he found himself typing her name in without argument. The search returned with a single result. He clicked on her name, opening a new window with all of her information.

Gwen was, of course, a model student. He hadn't expected anything less. She had been put on the Dean's List every semester since freshman year. Her cumulative GPA had never been anything lower than a 4.0. Most of her tuition was paid for by academic scholarships and the rest was charged to a private credit card.

'Probably Daddy's.' Kevin thought with a light sneer. Her parents definitely had the cash to invest in such a prestigious education for their daughter. They had done it for their older son, why not perfect little Gwen? He continued down the list of her accomplishments, awards, and honors, trying to wash out the acrid taste of his bad thoughts. True, the relationship had been bittersweet, and they certainly hadn't done each other any favors since the break up, but finding the hidden picture in Gwen's underwear drawer had flipped a switch inside of him, one that had been uncovered when he visited their lost connection. He told himself he was just worried about Ben. He was still his friend, after all, and Gwen meant a lot to him. But deep inside the pit of his stomach, he knew it wasn't just about friendship.

"Whatever. Focus." He scolded himself, coming down past the extensive list of classes she had taken. There was a paragraph of red text at the bottom that he nearly missed as he went to scroll back towards the top of her record. When he scrolled back down, he saw it wasn't really a paragraph, just a couple of lines, but they were written in all caps. He frowned as he read the words to himself.

"Student requested to attend counseling services. Follow-up by physician required before account hold can be lifted."

He paused before leaning backwards in the office chair, re-reading the lines over and over trying to let them sink in. Gwen Tennyson, brainchild, killer karate master, and powerful half-Anodite, had been asked to seek counseling? The questions began to build. Who had asked that she do so? When had the request been made? But, the most important query was also the hardest to answer: Why?

Suddenly, his ears picked up on soft footfalls coming up the stairs. Not bothering to shut the computer down properly, Kevin closed the software and pressed the power button. He slid off the chair onto the floor and slithered up and under the large desk cutting the room in two. A key ring jingled from beyond the doors and he could hear the crunch of metal in the lock. A beam of light appeared on the wall opposite him as someone walked further into the office.

"Hello? Is anybody here?" A younger male voice called out. Kevin couldn't help but roll his eyes. Amateur security guard, he confirmed. Like anyone breaking in would simply call back. He reached out and touched the desk with a hand, absorbing the material. In the darkness, he would easily blend in should the guard decide to come around to the other side.

After a minute of watching the flashlight bounce around the cubicles, Kevin decided he had nothing to fear. Sure enough, the guard abandoned his quest shortly after. He listened to the footsteps all the way down before unfolding himself from beneath the desk. It would be harder to get out than it was to get in. Kevin skillfully threw himself back over the desk and jogged to the door. The stairwell seemed quiet. Had the guard been in the building the entire time? He scanned the ceilings for cameras but found none. There had to be surveillance somewhere. He peered over his shoulder in the room. There apparently weren't any back in the office area. Sighing, he realized he was just going to have to make a sprint and hope the guard had wandered back to his post.

Kevin once again opened the door just barely enough for his girth to squeeze through. He made sure it shut noiselessly behind him. Still, everything remained quiet. He peered over the railing at the flights below. Nothing moved. Taking a deep breath, Kevin made his way down to the second floor. Nothing. He continued onwards until he could see the reception desk and the glass doors beyond. His car was still parked outside. It didn't appear that anyone was lurking about. He slid down against the banister until he reached the door and then glanced both ways.

"Amateur." He reiterated, walking confidently out into the lobby. Then, above him, he heard doors opening and closing and he looked behind him wide-eyed as the security guard's shadow appeared on the landing. He sprinted for the door, the carpet muffling his movement, and made it out just as the guard descended the last flight of stairs. Kevin waved at him from the other side of the glass window. He had been right about him. The guard was obviously a student, young and soft, who didn't look at all imposing in his black uniform. The kid came over to the door and scrutinized Kevin before jutting a chin at the hours.

"The offices are closed for the day. Come back later."

"Sure thing." Kevin said quietly, watching the kid walk back into the building. He snickered to himself as he headed back towards his car. What a moron.

His fun being had, he became serious as he reached for his keys. The girl in the library, Clare, seemed to know more about Gwen than anyone else they had talked to. He would go back and ask her if she knew anything about Gwen's counseling visit.

* * *

Why anybody drove anymore was beyond him. Ben glided effortlessly above the sparse array of clouds, his green eyes darting back and forth to make sure he was properly covering himself from view. It felt like only a few minutes had passed since he took off from the library parking lot at Gwen's university, but already he could make out the dark mass of buildings on the horizon that was his destination. He smirked as he thought about Kevin trying to dodge the cops on the highway, weaving in and out of traffic when it slowed down due to construction. Driving could be fun but it was an outdated method of travel. Being off Earth for so long had left Ben spoiled in the modes of interplanetary transport. He had been teleported, beamed, and warped anywhere he wanted. Such instantaneous travel made cars seem like a waste of time.

Although, in this situation, he wouldn't have minded having some extra time to think about his plan of attack. He hadn't anticipated going alone and knew from experience that that meant he would have to be extra careful. Argit wasn't trustworthy to begin with. Throw a potentially volatile criminal into the mix and things could get ugly fast. Ben steeled himself for the task ahead. He would find Argit first and get the rat to point out the man in question. Then, he would observe him for awhile, and, best case scenario, end up following him out of the bar where he could confront him one on one. If he didn't leave alone, he would trail him until he was.

The city was now visible in detail and Ben began to spiral downwards towards the section where the Cellar Door was located. As he reached the ground, he let the transformation reverse and hit the cement with sneakers rather than webbed feet. There didn't seem to be anyone around. The bar didn't even look open. Ben frowned and checked the atomic clock on his badge. It was barely 4 PM. He began to walk towards the bar with a sinking feeling. Maybe Kevin was right; Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to split up.

'Shut up Tennyson.' He thought scornfully. He didn't need Kevin to watch his back. He had done this countless times before and had come out the other end just fine. If he couldn't handle as simple a task as observing this loser, he didn't deserve the Ultimatrix on his wrist, or the badge in his pocket. Confidence restored, Ben reached for the door handle when there was a sudden skittering movement to his left. He reacted quickly, curving his body around the other side of the building and waiting with bated breath for the attack he was sure was coming. When nothing happened, he exhaled. No explosions followed, nor any threats or warnings. Ben peered around the corner after a few silent moments and groaned in embarrassment. Argit was hunched over the staircase, trembling slightly, his trench coat pulled up against the hot afternoon sunlight.

"Jumpy for a hot shot hero, aren't ya?" He sneered, his tone a stark contrast to his frightened appearance. Ben quickly glanced around the area and then pulled Argit along the side of the building.

"This isn't exactly a recreational visit. Is he inside?" The rat shook free of his grip and jutted his thin snout towards the back alley behind the bar.

"He just left. I was going to follow him for you."

"Right. And I was going to turn into a chicken and do a dance." Ben responded cynically. He eyed the entrance to the alleyway warily. This was going to be trickier than he expected. "Does he know you were following him?"

"Of course not."

"Did he notice you in the bar?"

"No."

"Kind of an odd time to be going out for a drink, isn't it?" Ben asked. Argit shrugged.

"He wasn't drinking. Just came in, sat down, talked with the bartender, then left." He said gruffly. Argit had not stopped trembling, but there was something in his voice that gave Ben pause. He sounded almost rehearsed.

"What did he look like?"

"You want to sit here asking me questions or go get the guy you came for?" Argit snapped. He scampered back up the stairs and through the door. It bounced back against the doorframe hard enough to cause an echo between the buildings. Ben cursed him in silence. If the man was still in the alley, he undoubtedly heard the door slamming. His element of surprise melted away.

He stopped just short of the alley and listened. Somewhere, a chain link fence rattled in the wind and a few pieces of garbage rolled past, like paper tumbleweeds. It didn't sound like anybody was walking or waiting amongst the detritus. He continued to listen. As he had known before, Argit was not trustworthy, and his whole demeanor just made Ben more certain that all was not what it appeared to be. He wouldn't be surprised to find that the man had gotten to Argit and offered him more than just a twenty dollar bill.

Finally, unable to wait around any longer, Ben rounded the corner, a hand hovering over the dial on the Ultimatrix. But, as he had thought, there was no one in the alley any longer. Experimentally, Ben walked further down until the sun no longer shone and the muck and mire was covered in shadow. Hardened mud showed evidence of old footprints but there was no way of confirming that they belonged to anyone of interest. The fire exists above were so rickety they swayed. There was no sign that anyone had used them for years and if someone had used them recently, they would have made a terrible racket. He swore under his breath. Once again, the target got away. He pivoted on his heel, preparing to pull his badge and call Kevin when something seized him around his throat. He began to choke as the long, thin claws holding him grew colder.

"Benjamin Tennyson." It hissed in his ear. "What a surprise this is." A dark purple mist enveloped him momentarily. It was incredibly cold. Ben squeezed his eyes shut against the chilly air. As suddenly as it surrounded him it left. He opened an eye to watch the mist solidify into a long figure. An Ectonurite morphed before him. It wasn't one he recognized, but it was certainly different from the rest. Its face looked eerily like an elongated human skull, save for the fangs and the empty eye sockets, which were glowing a faint red, instead of the usual purple. There were also strange markings etched into the bone. Ben struggled for air even as he struggled to discern what they were. The Ectonurite laughed low, a rumble that traveled through its claws and reverberated along his neck.

"Who...are you?" Ben croaked. His hands tried to find purchase against the claws, to no avail.

"That's neither here, nor there. Why are you following me?" It hissed, bringing its face in closer. Ben felt the chill once more. He strained to move away from its sharp teeth.

"You tell me!" He kicked out and caught the alien in the side. It doubled over with a cough and released its grip on Ben. He landed on his knees. Ignoring the pain, he dialed into the Ultimatrix and disappeared into a green light. The Ectonurite cringed away from the flash before a metal hand grabbed its outstretched claws. "What do you know about Gwen Tennyson?" Ben, now NRG, tightened his grip on the alien. When its only response was a feral growl, he shrugged. A few steps was all it took to bring the pair closer to the sun-drenched part of the alleyway. He held the Ectonurite out in the sunlight.

"Ahhh! No! Please! Graagh, mraah, you're killing meee!" It whined and writhed but it could not break free of Ben's fist. "Fine! Fine, I'll talk! Just...aaah! Please!" Ben pivoted and brought it back into the safety of the shadows. Its body sizzled. Through the smoke, it glared up into the hidden face of NRG.

"Talk fast, or I keep you there until you're nothing but a pile of dust." He warned from inside the metal casing.

"You are looking for your cousin."

"Stating the obvious doesn't count."

"Everyone is talking about her. Others have been here looking for her."

"Others? Who else?" The Ectonurite waved away his inquiry, but Ben would not be swayed. This was the first break he had had, and he would not let it go before milking it to the last drop. He shook the alien for good measure. It was still smoking.

"Curious bystanders. Those who would use her disappearance for their own profit, on both sides of the law. But you're the first who's found me."

"So what do you have to do with things? Are you the one who swept her apartment?" It deviously smiled.

"No. My role in such plans were much more humble. I was hired only to capture the girl, no more, no less. The one whom you speak of is he who I have come to see today. He is my employer." Ben felt his fury begin to rise. This creature had helped someone take his cousin. And he was being coy about it.

"So you get her, he sweeps the apartment, and then what? Where does he take her? Who is he?" He shouted.

"I will not bite the hand that feeds me, not even for you." The Ectonurite snarled. If it had been aware of how little patience Ben had left, maybe it would have been more cooperative. NRG once again swung the alien out into the warm sunlight. This time, no amount of pleading made him retract it. The Ectonurite screamed and howled. Its skin burned. Only when it looked as if it might actually turn to dust did Ben relent.

"Tell me who hired you and I'll let you go." He bargained. His voice dropped to a dangerous level. The alien shivered and gasped for air.

"You...will find him...at 1771 Prescott Lane. In Bellwood." It wheezed. "That is all I will...say."

"Fine." Ben said with acceptance. He pressed a side button on the Ultimatrix and its green face began to blink. It beeped and then a voice came through the speakers.

"HQ to Officer Tennyson, go ahead." A feminine voice stated. The Ectonurite begin to squirm weakly.

"HQ, I've got an Ectonurite in my custody who has information about the Gwendolyn Tennyson case. Requesting a pick-up in the 356th quadrant. Sending coordinates."

"Over, Officer Tennyson. Contingent being sent."

"You...you said you were letting me go!" It cried. NRG wagged a free finger in its direction.

"Yeah, right. Even if you don't know anything else, you're an accomplice to kidnapping a former Plumber. I think that counts as a crime." They glared at each other in silence before Ben's badge beeped again. The end of the alleyway was suddenly filled with a small Plumber ship. The hatch beneath its bow opened slowly and Magister Ghilil marched down the ramp. Ben groaned at the sight of him. His commanding officer had never quite been a fan of his, and had no qualms about letting him know. The two had gotten into too many squabbles to count. While none had been very serious, it still made for a tense work situation.

"Tennyson!" He called out. Magister Ghilil's scowl preceded him. The two officers behind him walked more slowly, carrying a containment cell between them. The Ectonurite moaned when he saw it.

"Not those. They are so uncomfortable." It complained. Ben shook it threateningly.

"At least its not the sunny side of the street."

"Jokes aside, kid. The last thing I hear, you're heading out on some mission with Max. Then, I get a page that you've gone AWOL. Now, you call me down to pick up your garbage like some two-bit rookie!" The Magister motioned for the officers behind him to take the alien off of Ben's hand. They set the containment unit down beside him. He placed the alien over it, releasing it only when the blue force field shot up from the disc. The Ectonurite hung suspended in the field looking miserable and pale. Ben, no longer responsible for his catch, transformed back.

"I'm sorry Magister, but this was an emergency."

"Yeah, I know. The entire force has been mobilized to keep an eye out for your cousin. That doesn't mean you can bend the rules as you see fit. You're coming back with me to HQ." He growled. Ben, however, stood his ground.

"No. I made a promise to Gwen's parents that I would find her. This alien," He pointed at the Ectonurite, "It knows something. It needs to be taken back and interrogated immediately."

"And what are you doing to do?" Ghilil asked, genuinely interested. He crossed his massive arms over his chest. Ben glanced at the Ectonurite.

"I'm going to 1771 Prescott Lane in Bellwood." The Magister frowned, but not out of anger. He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully for a moment.

"That sounds familiar, but I can't place it. I'll have to look it up in the system back at HQ." He muttered. Ben saw his chance to worm his way out of the situation. Smiling, he began to back away down the alley.

"You go do that. And while you're at it, you can let my grandfather know that I'm on the case." He turned to run but found himself unable to go anywhere. Magister Ghilil was firmly hanging on to the back of his flannel over shirt.

"Where is Levin? Shouldn't he be handling this? Its in his jurisdiction." Ben narrowed his eyes. He shoved the Magister off with a huff.

"I'm the one who told him she was missing. If the force has been mobilized, why wasn't he informed right away? She's been missing for weeks." He demanded. Ghilil seemed surprised. Even that, however, bled off quickly as he grew more irritated at Ben's continued insubordination.

"You know how much we have to deal with on a regular basis. Our response was slow only because we're stretched so thin. Your little vacation, _unauthorized _ may I add, doesn't help. Get that piece of scum on the ship." He suddenly barked at the officers. They jumped to action, obviously slack from listening to their argument. The Ectonurite griped at them to take it easy as they struggled to hold the containment unit straight. Ghilil watched them go with a stoic frown. Once they were safely out of ear shot, he leaned in closer to Ben. "Listen here, Tennyson. I've doubted you once only to get my ass handed back to me. You and Levin deal with this as best you can, but there'll be hell to pay when you get back to HQ. You're still one of my officers." Ben said nothing as the Magister turned to walk away.

"I want to know what the Ectonurite knows." He called after his superior. Magister Ghilil did not respond. He didn't even wave. Ben didn't take his silence personally. The fact that he didn't force him onto the ship with the Ectonurite was a sign of good faith. Once the ship was gone, he re-transformed into Jet Ray and plotted a course for Bellwood. Once he arrived, he would let Kevin know where he was.

* * *

Ghilil watched the red dot fly up and away from the alley, even as his own ship did the same. Sighing, he sat back in the pilot's chair. He was convinced that the kid would never learn, not from him, not from his grandfather, not from anybody. Years of playing hero had left him hard-headed, not a likable trait in a junior officer. Despite his previous accomplishments, Ghilil refused to let him move up the ranks so easily. This had the opposite effect he had hoped for. Instead of sparking some humility in him, Ghilil's continued repudiation of him only spurred more misbehavior. The other junior officers whispered about it behind his back. At least, he thought grimly, they remained smart enough not to speak about his relationship with the Tennyson boy openly.

"Sir, we're ready for warp." One of the officers interrupted his thoughts. Ghilil waved him away.

"Fine. Begin the count down." He rotated in his chair to face their prisoner. The Ectonurite didn't seem the least bothered anymore with his containment unit. It watched him silently. "I should warn you. If you don't cooperate with us, I'll make what Tennyson did to you look like child's play." He threatened. The Ectonurite laughed.

"Empty words, Magister." The containment cell began to sputter. The officer nearest to it gave a small cry and began to tinker with its control panel.

"Its shorting out!" He called. Ghilil rushed from his chair and pushed him out of the way. The other officer, about to send the ship into warp, left his post.

"Warp the ship!" Ghilil commanded. Even if the containment cell failed, if they were back inside HQ, the ghoul wouldn't escape. The officer nodded and ran back to the ship's controls.

"I'm afraid there's been a change of plans." The Ectonurite said with glee. The navigating officer screamed as something impaled him. Ghilil wheeled to find a wooden staff sticking out from his armor. He watched in horror as the staff slowly slid back through his body. The officer fell to the ground dead. A cloaked figure blocked the controls, the bloodied end of the staff peeking out from beneath its robes. They reached out and disabled the warp. As the ship's engines ground to a halt, the containment unit sparked and then exploded. Ghilil and his remaining officer flew backwards. They hit the back wall hard. The force was too much for the officer and he slumped to the floor. Ghilil, however, had been through worse. He gritted his teeth against the sharp pain in his side and pressed the distress signal on his uniform.

"HQ, Magister Ghilil reporting an officer down on Ship HBI-76. Two assailants, requesting immediate back up." He said into his helmet.

"HQ to Magister Ghilil, SOS received. Help is on the way." The Ectonurite glided over the floor. Its accomplice followed behind silently.

"Farewell, Plumber." It said, its voice like oil. The cloaked figure said something low beneath its breath and a dimensional vortex opened behind them. Its pull wasn't as powerful as others, but it was enough that he Ghilil found himself sliding forward. He had to grab onto the unconscious officer to keep him from slipping away. The Ectonurite disappeared first, glancing at its companion. They nodded and raised an arm towards Ghilil.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way, but I can't have you running back to the Tennyson brat." A woman's voice chimed from beneath the hood. Her hand glowed as she drew closer, placing it over his helmet. His head began to thrum, uncomfortably so. It continued to grow worse and worse until it was all he could do to keep from screaming. It felt as if this woman was crawling inside of his head. And then, suddenly, she was. He pressed the distress button on his suit again, but not by choice. It was she who made him do it.

"Magister Ghilil to HQ, cancel the previous distress call. We've got things under control." His voice said. Ghilil watched with wide eyes as the woman continued to commandeer his body.

"HQ here, you sure about that? Back up ready to deploy."

"Roger that, Back up not needed. Warping in." But it wasn't true. The connection was cut and the woman kneeled down, her head still over his helmet. He felt one of his hands move for the blaster in his holster.

"End of the line, Magister." She said slowly. The blaster moved under his chin. His hand began to shake as he fought her. It couldn't end like this. He wouldn't let himself be simply controlled. Sweat broke out on his brow as he tried to drop the gun. As hard as he fought, she fought harder and his finger finally found its way to the trigger.

* * *

a/n: WOO. I couldn't stop myself on this one apparently. Its long. Anyway, enjoy my update, as I promised in 'Born to Be Wild'. Hope it satisfies and keeps you happy until the next. Thanks for all the reviews so far everyone! For some reason I stopped getting e-mail notices when I get reviews, so I apologize for not replying to them as they come in. As always, thanks for reading and enjoy!


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